Origins
by XxtaintedflamexX
Summary: an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule; Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn’t bargain for was falling in love. Shink Male/male - Twilight princess world
1. chapter 1: prelude

**Origins: Chapter 1**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: hello everyone! This is an ambitious project for me, it seems. My first multi chapter fic, which I'm hoping will be a success. I'm a slow writer as I like to reread several thousand times until I'm sort of happy with the chapter. Also, I want to make each chapter a good long length so your wait will be worthwhile if you decide to read this. Urgh, now the 'H' on my key board is acting up! Spell check hates me for it... the first chapter is mainly exposition but I'm trying to keep some unanswered questions in there for later on; just because I love those moments of realisation when I'm reading! Anyway enjoy and be sure to review.

**WARNINGS: In this chapter there is violence. I have no idea how this is going to progress so let's just go for an all around warning for everything. Something 'M' worthy will crop up eventually anyway. Ah yes, I'll be adding one or two OC's, but rest assured, they will not divide from the Shink. There will defiantly be yaoi (malexmale), yuri (girlxgirl), heterosexual couples, shota (under aged), and something that I've just realised may be.... hmm.... I'll think on that one...**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.**

* * *

Old Hyrule: at the outbreak of what would come to be known as 'the forging war' 

All Sheik could see was a canvas of snowy white.

Blinking groggily, the young boy kept his head as still as possible; he knew almost instinctually what damage a head injury could do. He raised a hand to his throbbing skull, feeling for the lump that had rendered him unconscious.  
He found his target and delicately prodded it, assessing the damage before immediately throwing up, the pain and vertigo increasing ten-fold.  
The sheikah quickly checked the rest of his body over: several broken ribs, a possibly sprained wrist, and several large tears across his torso.  
His body was littered with what felt like bite and claw marks, but ones too vicious to belong to any monster he knew of; chunks of flesh having been torn from him.  
He couldn't feel his leg; thank Din, as it was mangled and useless. If it wasn't attached to his body he would have presumed it to be a rotten piece of meat left by a savage Wolfos.

Why was he in this state to begin with? Sheik tried to remember but his mind was saturated with pain. He could almost hear Impa, his mentor telling him what to do, even though she was long gone:

'_Deep breaths. Good. Now, observe your surroundings. Ignore the pain and focus.'_

Sheik did as he was told, shifting the pain to the back of his mind.

He was somewhere deep in the mountains. A mission perhaps?  
_And then... we were ambushed... I know I wasn't alone..._  
That was when it all come flooding back. Trekking through the snow, a scream from besides him, several creatures – man or beast, he couldn't tell. A battle, a hit to his head, another scream-

Then nothing.

Panic swept over him. He was the only one he could see that was alive, a few bodies here and there (presumably his entourage) but his charge was nowhere to be found. Had she been carried off? Had she escaped? He had to know!

The sheikah painfully stumbled to his feet, numb leg dragging behind, but only managed a feeble limp before crumpling back to the blood stained snow. Everything was blending in front of his eyes, making it difficult to move.  
Regardless, he began to drag himself forwards with one trembling hand, the other clutched around his bleeding stomach; barely noticing the ground's oddly gritty texture, which was reminiscent of gravel or perhaps frozen cinders.  
True to his training, Sheik ignored this; blocked everything out of his sight but his final act.  
He knew that he was as good as dead, he had lost too much blood, but he had to make sure she was safe before he joined his ancestors.

Time melted into itself as he strenuously dragged himself forward. The only thought occupying his mind being her safety, the closest person he had ever had to a sister.  
Somehow, on his final journey he had convinced himself that he would find her alive and everything would be alright.

It hit him all the harder when he found her. Her golden hair spread all around her like a net, matted at the tips with congealed blood.  
She looked so small, lying there in the snow. He was so used to seeing her full of joy and laughter, or else standing tall, proud, and regal; not this frail looking woman lost in a sea of white. Her formidable beauty at least had not abandoned her, but it was now a tragic, elegant loveliness – a swan slain in its prime. It was unfitting for the vibrant girl he had grown up alongside.

Having finally made it to her side, Sheik collapsed and gently pulled her body into his arms, their breath smouldering a faint, opaque mist which embraced into a blooming flower of ice.  
Although she still had a pulse it was weak, her lips were blue from the cold, and her shining cerulean eyes were closed.  
It didn't matter, she was _alive_. There was still hope.  
Sheiks training had taught him to accept the reality that they were too deep in the mountains to be rescued, and he had lost too much blood. Not even the goddess' could save him now. So he pulled her close in a final attempt to preserve the beloved life entrusted to him and accepted his fate.

And so the last of the Sheikah died: frozen to death in the snow whilst clinging to his princess in the hope that he could protect her from the cruel world. Even after his passing.

* * *

Present day

Two years had passed since Hyrule had been purged from the twilit invasion. Two years of rebuilding all that had been lost in the battle between good and evil.  
The country's only living monarch, the princess Zelda certainly had her hands full in the aftermath; having been thrust into the role of ruler, the princess had to manage both her royal duties and her personal training. During Zant's invasion of Hyrule castle many important people had been killed, leaving the court unstable as the survivors competed for power and prestige.  
Publically however, she was a success due to her remarkable wit and eloquent manners: a media darling.  
The twilight war, although devastating in its effects, was known in detail to few people as a closely guarded secret. Not many Hylians would accept being told that they had spent several months unknowingly captive to a usurper king from another realm as spirits after all.  
Even fewer people knew that it was the heroics of a certain Ordonian farm boy had saved them all.

Link had spent the past two years travelling the country he had come to know and love so well, taking care of any monsters that still roamed the now peaceful lands.  
He made sure to return to his home in Ordon every few months to reassure the villagers and keep Ilia from worrying too much. He would never stay long though, just long enough to rest and repack before setting off again.  
His adventure had opened his eyes to a bigger world and the lure of a new adventure kept him from settling back down in his sleepy home village.  
Link knew in his heart he would never be content to sit still ever again. He would awake in his bed longing to sleep under the stars. Or he would walk past a small spring and unconsciously compare it to the rushing waterfalls of the Lanryru province.  
Nothing in Ordon was big enough, wide enough, high enough, exciting enough for him to stretch his legs.  
Link knew that one day, when Hyrule was back to its former glory, he would leave in search of other lands. As much as he treasured his country, there was nothing there to anchor his free spirit.

He was just too restless for his own good lately.  
Monsters were too few and far between for any challenge, and he felt... well... lonely on his travels. None of his friends had enough time to travel the world with him or, like Ilia, wanted to settle down and avoid all conflict.  
He had struck up a firm friendship with Zelda after the battle against Ganondorf but she already gave him all the time she could in her hectic schedule.  
Not to mention that the future Queen of Hyrule swanning off with a simple ranch hand would cause a scandal, friends or not.  
He missed Midna most of all. He had grown fond of the little imp and her sarcastic comments, but the mirror of twilight was shattered into millions of tiny pieces.  
The bridge between their worlds had been devastated beyond repair along with any chance he had of seeing her again.  
Link had never known his parents and had grown up feeling like a stranger in his own village, but nothing compared to the ache he was feeling now: the knowing that there was something missing in his life.  
He wanted a companion again, someone to fill the silence he had grown all too accustomed to.

_However_ Link thought as he ducked down a side alley in Castle town _I wouldn't want them to talk as much as these damn girls..._  
Link, despite his lack of enthusiasm had made quite an impression on the female population of Castle town.  
Many young maidens had honed in on the dashing hero as a potential suitor thanks to his sunny disposition and handsome features (not to mention his advantageous connections to the princess).  
Link, despite being the holder of the triforce of courage, hadn't the heart to flat-out reject any of the hopeful maidens which resulted in swarms of dinner invitations and giggling.  
Thankfully, the young hero now had sufficient practice at sneaking around to avoid them and get to his destination (relatively) unscathed.  
His destination being the princess.

Zelda understood Links desire to roam her lands freely and so refrained from summoning him unless it was important enough to warrant it, although she had been known to send for him just to tease him – as was the nature of their friendship.  
The Ordonian knew Zelda well enough however, that on those few occasions she had in fact been cracking under the pressure and needed a break from it all.  
As much as they wanted to believe it, neither of them were immune to the monster that was occupational stress.  
So he had done his best to assist her and lingered in Castle town a little longer then he would ordinarily have done.

He had arranged to meet Zelda at Telma's Bar at noon.  
The bar was the perfect hideout for them: low-key, far enough away from the public eye, and had a faux bad reputation to keep a majority of customers away.  
Telma had enough money stashed away to work only for pleasure, neither needing or wanting to be surrounded by raucous drunks.  
Not to mention the fact that the landlady was that little bit too fond of having customers thrown out and barred.  
So where ordinary taverns had loud music and rambunctious patrons, Telma's Bar (referred to by its few allowed guests as simply 'The Bar') had low lights and the quiet companionship of those who had fought side by side in the secret twilit war. Truly it was a secret haven for unacknowledged heroes.

As Link descended the stairs to the bars entrance he caught sight of Zelda, dressed in the Sheikan cloak she had worn the first time they had met. It had been quite a sight to behold: a disgraced princess, a transformed wolf, and a cursed imp. Back then, he had had no idea as to the beauty concealed beneath those dark folds of cloth; a refined young girl with caramelised blond hair and intelligent blue eyes. He felt some pride that he had bought her a peaceful two years in which she had matured into a fine eighteen year old woman.

Upon seeing him, Zelda smiled softly from beneath her hood,

"One would think that you had learned not to keep your company waiting." Link snorted and playfully bowed down low, sweeping his hat from his head in mock reverence.

"Forgive me your highness for such a miscarriage of justice! How in Farore's name could a mere mortal such as I possibly think that you would do the _sensible_ thing and wait inside... unless one wished to freeze one's arse off?"

"On the contrary, good sir! I rather like my 'arse' where it is. Indeed I would find it most inconvenient for it to be out of commission!" the princess responded with a mischievous glint in her eye before taking Link by the arm and leading him into the welcoming warmth of the bar and to a table in the back room.

_Somehow,_ Link mused, _I think I'm a bad influence on her..._

Once seated and served by a jovial Telma, Zelda's expression turned sombre. Link followed suit, taking note of the way she tapped nervously on the side of her glass of Chateau Romani, and of how her eyes scanned the room every so often.  
"As much as I love joking with you Link, I confess that I have called you here with an ulterior motive..." the princess took a gracious sip from her drink and paused, with the air of a person who was at the end of their tether.  
Link noticed with some concern that under inspection, Zelda looked more tired than was healthy. There were dark circles under her eyes and her skin looked unusually pale.  
Her feet had dragged as she led him into the bars interior, weighted down by fatigue.

"For the past few weeks," Zelda began, "I have been having this rather strange dream. I did not want to burden you with this after all you have done for Hyrule... however, as this concerns you I do not believe that it is fair to keep you oblivious to it any longer."

Zelda had once confided to Link as a fellow holder of the triforce that she was able to receive premonitions through her dreams, so Link knew better then to dismiss her concern.  
The greed clad hero nodded his head in understanding and softly grunted as if to say 'go ahead'.

"In my dream I saw black clouds sweep across the land, bringing fire and death and destruction. But that is not all it brought.  
There were people too. At least they looked like people.  
Their skin was grey and pallid, as though death had already taken them, although they moved with great speed.  
Their hair looked as though all colour and life had drained from it, and their eyes...  
oh, Link! Their eyes were blood red and sightless!  
A fanged plague: blind to all but the abolition of their foes!  
I saw my people fleeing in terror, but those who were caught bled all of the colour out of their bodies and became as the creatures themselves were..."

Zelda paused, her thin hands shaking from the memory before taking a breath and continuing, "Out of the darkness I saw you, sword in hand, riding into battle – only you were not alone...  
riding alongside you, there was a man wrapped in shadows.  
No matter how much I tried I could not see his face.  
All I can remember is the 'all-seeing eye' on his chest, glowing like the setting sun.  
Just as the battle is about to begin, I awaken..." The princess finished her tale and gauged Links reaction.

He furrowed his brow in concentration.  
Link knew that he was of little to no use in situations like these as he had had no experience in dream interpretation whatsoever, Link dealt only in what could be solved with his sword.  
He knew however that Zelda, being her pro-active self, would have analysed it to death.  
There must be a reason why she needed his council specifically on this...

Zelda answered his unasked question with a soft sigh,  
"I believe I have interpreted my dream accurately enough to take what many would believe to be an... extreme course of action... however I need someone who will tell me straight off of the bat if what I propose to do is wrong. Anyone else would lie to my face to get my favour."

The hero's eyes snapped up to meet her own, concern laced into their azure depths, an unspoken warning hovering between them and saturating the air.

"I have done some research on those ... creatures, and I found nothing of any use. Apparently, they do not exist any longer."  
"Well that's fine then, isn't it?" Link questioned hopefully "If they don't exist then surely your dream was just that, a dream."  
The look on Zelda's face said it all.  
"The thing is Link... I was attacked three days ago by one such creature,"  
Link hissed in shock,  
"Are you alright! Did it hurt you?" The princess, amused and touched at her friends worry nodded her head benignly  
"I am perfectly fine, Link. My guards quickly disposed of him. However once it was killed, its remains crumbled away instantly. Quite rude really, it did not even tell us who sent it before dissolving. I should have liked to have repaid the favour."  
Link's frown deepened  
"Zelda, you shouldn't joke around about this. You were nearly assassinated for Din's sake!"  
"I noticed," Zelda quipped, flicking his forehead in a 'shut up and let me finish' kind of way.

_Yup, defiantly a bad influence._

"anyway, these creatures definitively exist which makes me wonder why they exist in the first place. There has only been one word of them in the history books, and that was in the forging war centuries ago. They should be extinct."  
"So? What do you think?" He already suspected the answer.  
"The dark clouds in my dream. They must symbolise something, but right now it is just empty speculation. What we need to do is nip this whole matter in the bud, before things escalate.  
These creatures... my guess is that someone with great magical prowess resurrected them, rather than created them; you do not need the triforce of wisdom to know that all creation is done by the goddesses. So in order to tackle an ancient force..."  
"You need an ancient force." Link finished in understanding.

It made sense to fight fire with fire, but it was unlike Zelda to be so rash with her decisions.  
Her deductions, while probably accurate, were still just assumptions and guesswork.  
The dreams must have really affected her.  
Moreover, it worried him how Zelda was planning to access and utilise said 'ancient force'.

Making up his mind, Link voiced his question.  
Zelda shifted nervously in her seat before rising,

"It is about time for me to get back to the castle, we can talk on the way if that is alright?"

Link replied that it was and headed for the taverns door, princess in tow.

He had not thought that they had been in Telma's bar all that long, but the sky had already turned to a pearlescent lavender, ripe with the promise of a cool night.  
It reminded him of Midna and those days traversing Hyrule for the first time.  
He vaguely wondered if he would be doing that again this time around, although it didn't feel as appealing without the sarcastic imp for company.

The princess and hero climbed the stairs and turned the corner into the dwindling market place, the last few shoppers trickling away for the evening. The pair walked slowly and deliberately, knowing that there was more to be said before they parted ways.

"Link, how much do you know about the Sheikah tribe, the shadow folk?" Zelda asked, breaking the silence between them.  
"Not much to be honest, just what Impaz told me back in the hidden village before she died."

Zelda stayed respectfully quiet at the mention of the woman who had resided in old Kakariko up until she passed away a few months after the end of the twilit war.  
The woman herself had had Sheikah blood, although it was too diluted for her to be a true member of their race.

"The sheikah are eternal servants of Hyrules' royal family; guardians, caretakers, whatever is asked of them they do without fail. They have always been admired and feared for their skills in battle and in the art of shadow magic.  
They made a pact with the royal family to protect them.  
The shadow folk have an inborn ability to see through illusion, to see the truth – as such their chief symbol was an eye, open and alert to everything: the 'all-seeing eye'.  
Legend has it that the royal family betrayed the Sheikah in some way; making the loyal servants cry until no tears were left and blood poured down their faces.  
They cried so bitterly that their bloody tears stained their eyes a crimson red as a constant reminder.  
As such a single tear was added to the 'all-seeing eye' so none would forget their grief."

"As interesting as this is Zelda, is there a point?"

Zelda sniffed and stuck her nose in the air like a petulant child who hadn't gotten her way.  
"Of course there's a point Link!"  
"So where do we get one of these Sheikah? I'm assuming these guys are ancient enough for your plan which, by the way, you haven't explained yet."  
"I'm afraid we cannot just 'find' them Link," the princess lamented, "The last one died centuries ago."

Link stopped in his tracks, assembling the pieces in his mind.

"Zelda, please don't say you're going to do what I think you're going to do!" at Zelda's guilty yet stubborn look Link's fears were realised. "You want to bring one back from the dead!"

"Link, this is the only way; we have nothing to go on but a Sheikah might! Someone from the last time one was sighted would know things that we do not, Link. We could save lives by doing this!"

"For someone so wise you're being surprisingly stupid! Resurrecting someone potentially dangerous and not knowing what you're-"

Link was interrupted by a fierce growl to his left.  
A human-like figure lunged at them and before he could even unsheathe his sword he was on his back with his assailant crashing full-force into him.  
Zelda shouted his name but Link was too busy trying to shift their attacker whilst dodging its sharp claws.  
Link delivered a swift kick into its stomach, causing its flailing limbs to retract in pain.  
He took advantage of the situation and stumbled to his feet, training his eyes on the thing before him.

It looked human... mostly.

It had the dun grey skin of a corpse with lengthy crooked nail and fangs – like that of a beast. Glowing red eyes illuminated in the rapidly fading light.  
Then there was the smell.  
He had noticed it whilst the thing had been on top of him.  
A musky, acrid odour which made him want to wretch in disgust.  
It smelt like it was rotting away.

Unfortunately it didn't stay down for long, but Link was ready for it this time.  
He wielded his sword in front of him and slashed at the thing as it approached.  
The creature ducked beneath his swipe with an unnatural agility and pounced at the hero once again, who retaliated by banging his shield into its face.  
Its blood splattered on the floor with a satisfying _thwap_.  
It yelped and backed away, judging whether it was more advantageous to flee or fight.  
Seemingly decided, the creature dissolved back into the alleyway it had lunged out of.

Link looked over at the princess who was unharmed, although understandably shaken.  
"Link!" she whispered breathlessly, "You're hurt!"  
It took the hero a while to process what Zelda had said, only just noticing the heavy gashes in his arms and torso.

_That thing's nails sure are sharp._

Link looked down at the blood he had drawn from the creature, or at least where the blood used to be.  
In its place was a deep grey substance that looked like grit or large grains of sand.  
Puzzled, Link bent down and rubbed some between his fingers.  
It was rough and crumbled between his fingers before being blown away by a sharp wind.  
He would have stayed longer or have chased after the thing had Zelda not been their tugging at his arm in an attempt to get him treated up at the castle.  
Link decided, with a twinge from one of his wounds, that maybe next time he longed for an adventure he would be more careful (or at least more specific) about what he wished for.

* * *

A/N: well there you have it! Tell me your thoughts. I've noticed that I'm always going on about how pretty Zelda is... hmm... I guess it's just something that prods at me every time I see her in a cut scene or something. She is probably the prettiest video game girl because it's a subtle beauty. Zelda doesn't need revealing clothes or 10 tonnes of make up to look stunning, I really admire that. It seems like one of the boys will end up with her but, I just wanted to show the bonds between the boys and Zelda that'll be important to justify later events and whatnot. Also, WHY IS EVERYONE BLOND!!! All three of my mains are blond! Erm, variety anyone? Ah well, I guess it doesn't matter...


	2. chapter 2: reanimation

**Origins: Chapter 2**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: I never realised how difficult writing a second chapter would be! Seriously! I post chapter one, open up a new document and... Nada. How on earth do I continue?! Thanks so much for the reviews, they literally forced me to crack on and not procrastinate. You've all been very generous in your support and I hope I do you proud by making this fic worth the long haul :) I've also created a bit of a sheikah language to emphasise how diverse and different Hyrules races are.

WARNINGS: In this chapter there is racial prejudice and an iccle bit of blood

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

* * *

Sheik had been very young when he had first heard that phrase; however, he remembered it as clearly as he would were it to have happened yesterday - His initial experience of the bloody knife that was Hylian supremacy.

It had been his first day outside of the Sheikah training camp – his '_Shaleem'_; a rite of passage wherein a Sheikah would be magically bound to the person they were to dedicate their lives to guarding.  
Blood red eyes, already accustomed to slaughter and militia discipline, had gazed upon tranquillity for the first time in his eight years of life.

Sheik had been fascinated by all of the details of Hyrule that he had only ever heard rumour of back in the encampment: lush fields, rushing waters, and grand structures hewn from stone so seamlessly that the goddesses themselves must have had a hand in it.  
Certainly a far cry from his harsh and barren former home, where combat was encouraged in place of empathy.  
Feelings are rust that blunts a perfectly good _weapon_, and to rely on and trust another is to compromise your life.  
As is the Sheikah way.

Sheik trusted Impa though, her stern guidance accompanied by an unspoken pride in her stance or a precious compliment communicated through her worldly eyes alone.  
Back then, Sheik had felt like any ordinary child; clutching onto Impa's calloused hand as they trekked up the hills that led to Hyrule castle – as well as his premature adulthood.  
Although he wouldn't admit it, the young Sheikah was a little sad that he would not make the return journey back to the camp with his mentor.  
Instead, he would enter a precocious child and emerge as a ruthless warrior once the bonding ritual had been complete.

Sheik had pulled the cowl further up his face to rest higher on his nose as the pair neared the castles main gates, uneasy around the unfamiliar guards.  
It seemed that his perturbation had been mutual as the guards stiffened at their approach.

"Who goes there?!"

Impa made no reply, but displayed their passes for inspection.  
Although their visors disguised their expression, Sheik could almost sense the distrust emanating from them.  
The young warrior, although battle hardened, was still naive to the world of racial prejudice and so his eight year old brain had not quite understood why they were being treated with such suspicion.  
He would have dismissed the looks entirely were it not for that next exchange, which had tarnished Sheiks memories of that wonderful first day outside:

"Sorry about that lady Impa, it's just that we don't get _your sort_ around these parts often."

Impa's eyebrow had risen and Sheik had felt her grip on his hand tighten so that it was almost painful,  
"And pray tell what you mean by '_your sort'_?"

One of the guards shifted uncomfortably, but had curled his lips and spat the words when he spoke – as if they had been a poison; and to Sheik, they were.  
They were a poison that had tainted his mind every second of his life.  
"You're _bloody-eyed outcasts_, is all. S'not like you can be trusted."

"How in Din's name did you manage to talk me into this?"  
"Oh, Link! If you are just going to stand there and snap like a Deku Baba then you are free to leave!" Link frowned at his friend's indifference towards the potentially blasphemous act they were about to commit, but mainly at the suggestion that he would leave her at such a crucial time.

Zelda was shuffling around the small chamber she had prepared for their 'new arrival', whilst Shad (who Zelda had summoned as a knowledgeable assistant) readied the clay body for the Sheikah's soul to inhabit.  
It seemed easy – in theory.  
Zelda had prepared a special clay from the Goron mines and had moulded it into a humanoid shape.  
When Shad and Zelda performed the ritual, the Sheikah's soul – his essence, would be called back from its moment of death into the receptive clay; thus moulding it into his last recognised form.  
Unfortunately, while the Sheikah would regain an exact replica of his or her body, they would also regain the physical injuries that they had died from.  
If the Sheikah wasn't correctly healed, then it would all be for naught.

"You know you're problem Zelda? You always think you're bloody right."  
Link huffed in an attempt to lighten the oppressive atmosphere.  
The princess smiled, knowing to play along,  
"That is because I usually am."  
"...Don't have to be so smug about it..."  
The pair exchanged a humoured look before returning to their respective posts.

Shad paced over to Link, nose buried in a book of Hylian lore, and gently offered him a small bundle. At Link's questioning look, Shad clarified that it was:  
"A beacon to draw our Sheikah to the clay rather than a dead body or, heaven forbid, one of us!" The scholar smiled excitedly at the hero, "Just press it into the clay, right in the chest would be about right."  
He then scurried off to help Zelda sterilise the medical equipment – preparing to treat the worst of the Sheikah's injuries.

Link relieved the beacon-to-be from its bindings, and revealing an eye shaped amulet with a single long tear running down – the 'all seeing eye'.  
He turned it over in his fingers, curious at its unfamiliar weight in his hand.  
It was a comfortable pressure.  
Light enough to almost forget that he was holding it, but it seemed strong and sturdy enough to withhold a lot of damage.  
It felt warm too.  
Not clammy like cheap metal when you had held it too long; but as though it emitted its own heat and buzzed with what he could only assume was magical energy.

Staring at the ancient design, he felt his skin begin to crawl towards it – as though it were drawing him in closer, it's pupil less eye capturing him in its sightless scrutiny.  
It seemed to grow warmer the longer he stared at it.  
Breathing heavily.  
Blood pounding in his head.  
Face paling.  
It seemed to hiss – no, it was whispering.  
So many voices all calling out to him;  
soft to harsh,  
pleading to angry,  
seductive to sinister,  
all at once.  
The skin around the amulet felt as though it was on fire, almost like it would peel away and -

"Link? Are you alright? You look awfully pale..."  
_Zelda.  
_Link broke his connection to the Sheikan amulet to look at his friend.  
"Where did you..." he began, once again feeling the artefact try to attract him, "What is this, Zelda?"

"It's a soul conductor. Its purpose is to channel people's spirits and acts as a medium between this world and the dead."  
Shad eagerly nodded his head before elaborating on Zelda's explanation.  
"You see, the Sheikah are called shadow walkers for several reasons.  
There is the common knowledge concerning the Sheikah stealth, they hide in the shadows and strike – true to their prowess as assassins. However..."

Shad paused for dramatic effect, leaving Link to wonder exactly what the scholar though passed for common knowledge these days.

"Another much debated interpretation is that the Sheikah walked the grey area between life and death.  
Back in old Hyrule, before the forging war had begun, the Sheikah had a second obligation: to guard the shadow temple; Otherwise known as the house of the dead.  
Sheikah have a very strong connection to the deceased, and their eyes can see many things.  
To be specific, their eyes can see spirits; bridging the gap between this world and the afterlife.  
This amulet represents the Sheikah's eye, allowing those with a strong bond to the symbol to walk through the shadowed area between worlds."

Zelda looked at him concernedly, halting her work.  
"You should not hold onto that for too long, Link.  
It may have adverse effects for those whose eyes have seen death as much as yours have."  
The look on her face said it all.  
She too had felt that peculiar sucking sensation.

Satisfied but still uncertain about Shads answer, Link advanced towards the clay body resting on a large table.  
It seemed so strange that in a few minutes, this inanimate slab of sludge would become an actual living, breathing human being.  
He still had his doubts but it all seemed more real than it had when he had been told Zelda's plan yesterday.  
The danger seemed more immediate, yet so surreal that it could be passed off as a lucid dream.

He firmly pressed the Sheikan artefact into the clay.  
It responded by easing out of the foreign objects' way with a soft _schloop_-ing noise.  
It took a rather persistent thirty seconds to fully emerge the amulet in the ample muck before stepping back to appraise his work.  
It was submerged deep into what was to be the Sheikah's chest cavity and the hero was pleased to notice that the amulets' disconcerting pull was being suppressed.

Zelda gave the room one last critical scan, checking that everything was in place, before moving to her position at the Sheikah's 'head'.  
Shad followed suit, standing instead at the foot of the table.  
Link shifted his weight from one foot to the other, anxious for the ritual to begin and mentally preparing himself for battle on the off chance that the Sheikah would lash out after awakening.

The trio gave one last look at each other, allowing their fellows an opportunity to back out.  
When no one did, Zelda, with a face like stone, began the long summoning process.

* * *

The newly bonded Sheikah had wondered around the castle grounds, silently mapping the castle into his mind for future reference.  
Sheik hadn't cried during the bonding ceremony.  
He hadn't even winced, although he had defiantly wanted to.  
Impa had been proud of him, he had known.  
Her eyes had been fixed on him and her normally stoic face had eased itself out of its usual sternness.

Somehow, that small gesture had made all of the mind-numbing agony worth it.

His new charge had been a tiny, frail looking girl, even younger then he had been.  
His pride had stung at the fact that he would be at the beck and call of that child all of his life, but he had quickly disregarded the notion.  
_Tools_ don't have pride.  
_Bloody-eyed outsiders_ don't have pride.

That phrase had kept prodding at his mind, insistent and penetrating.  
He had known that his red eyes made him different from the blue eyed Hylians, but he had never thought that he would be looked down on for it.  
Discriminated against for what his race treasured most.  
It had angered him.  
A dark, gurgling deep in the pit of his stomach.  
Seething in his gut like some malicious parasite.  
It had made him feel like such a...  
such a...  
victim.  
And that was something Sheik would never allow himself to be.

It wasn't the _bloody-eyed_ comment that had caused so extreme an action though.  
It had been _outsider_.  
That one word had summed up all of Sheiks insecurities into one harsh blow.  
Because when Impa had left for the encampment without him, he would have no ties to his home.  
He would be more alone than ever before.  
A stranger in a foreign land.  
An invader.  
An alien to people who didn't trust him, who he could never trust in return.

His fingers had drifted to the Hylian family crest, freshly carved into the back of his neck.  
A symbol of ownership; of enslavement.

Sheik hadn't even noticed in his musings that he had wandered into an enclosed courtyard, where a little girl was watching him with curious blue eyes.  
When the Sheikah noticed her gaze, he had instantly dropped to his knees in a crouch; left shoulder pressed low to the floor and head deep in submission.  
'_A sheikah must always be subservient to his or her master_.'

The little girl had crouched down alongside him, puzzled.  
"What game are you playing? Can I join in?"  
Sheik had mentally groaned.  
Not only was he meant to obey a child, but a stupid child too.  
He made no response,  
'_a sheikah must never speak unless given permission'_.  
The girl had sighed and prodded him gently with one podgy finger.  
"Hey, will you play with me? There are not any other children in the castle."  
A stupid child's playmate? Whatever next!  
Deciding that he ought to give an answer this time around, Sheik had moved into a more comfortable sitting position – sat on his calves, hands together, palms up and in front of him, head bowed.  
_'A Sheikah must always show humility to his or her master'_

"Your Highness, your wish is my command"  
The girl smiled sadly at him,  
"Do you... not play a lot?"  
Sheik nodded an affirmative.

"Well then," She continued, "I suppose that you and I are alike. I have always wanted someone to play with, but I suppose you would want to rest after..."  
She motioned to his neck, which had given an irritated throb.  
At Sheiks lack of response she carried on:  
"...Everyone thinks that I do not understand things, that I am just a child. But I see things.  
I have dreams and people think I am making them up.  
They think I do not understand their words. I have two voices you see?  
I have always used the words of a child because daddy likes it, but inside I have thoughts and a brain and a heart that no one sees.  
They do not see because actually, it is _they_ cannot understand _my_ words."

Sheiks attention had been captured by that child, and he felt guilty that he had thought the same as those foolish adults.  
However, he had felt even guiltier when he heard her breath hitch.  
She had been crying.

"I have always been daddy's girl. Reading was the first thing I ever did by myself.  
That is why I love words.  
I love their roughness and their smoothness, and when I am quiet I am trying to get them right. ...What is your name?"  
Sheik looked up at her carefully and answered.  
Her tears had stopped and she was smiling, he had already known what at: Sheik the Sheikah.  
It wasn't very imaginative of the Sheikan elders after all.

"Sheik," the girl had whispered, trying out the new word by rolling it around on her tongue, " It is a nice word... I think that you are quiet because you are hurting right? You are hurting like I am, because you are lonely... right?"  
The Sheikah had been astounded at his charge's desperate intuitiveness, but being his stubborn self he had refused to admit it.  
"With all due respect your highness, but I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."  
The girl's face had retained that genial smile, seemingly knowing what Sheiks response would be.  
Instead she moved on to her next question,

"That mark on your neck... what do you think it means?"  
Sheik stiffened, but was obliged to answer either way.  
"It means a cage; A symbol of my servant hood."  
At this Zelda's face turned sour.  
"I do not think so. It may bind us together, but not as master and servant, and certainly not as a cage."

Sheik had sighed under his breath, thinking that the girl clearly didn't know what she was on about.  
"Sheik, that mark is the symbol of the trust between us. I trust you with my life. I trust you to protect me and remain by my side. But the bond goes both ways. I have a responsibility to not abuse your trust, and to take responsibility for your well being also. Is it not a blessing to be tied with someone who can understand you?"

Sheik was silent.  
He just knew that if he said anything the tears would come spilling out.  
He had only spent a few minutes with this lonely little girl and she had read his heart as though it were her favourite book.  
Those words that had been jabbing at him, and always would jab at him to an extent, had been uncovered and carefully soothed.

'_bloody-eyed outcasts, is all. S'not like you can be trusted'_

The girl slowly wrapped her arms around him, as though he would break.  
Honestly, sheik didn't know if he would break either.

"It is alright. It is alright to trust people. It is alright to trust me."  
Sheik couldn't form a coherent thought.  
It had felt as though he had belonged somewhere as they sat alone in that courtyard, understanding each other's pain all too well.  
The Sheikah boy could only think of one thing to say:

"Thank you... Zelda..."

* * *

Link shuffled around the small chamber, trying to ease the cramps out of his muscles whilst not disturbing Zelda and Shad who had been chanting incomprehensible words for an hour now.  
The hero couldn't help but marvel at them; the flowing words and at their casters.  
Shads lips had gone horribly dry and he kept lapping at them, desperate to keep them moist.  
Zelda was faring no better, her voice was a little hoarse yet she was persevering.  
The words themselves were beautiful.  
They flowed and overlapped into one haunting sound, each syllable becoming indistinguishable from the next.

The clay itself was shifting and moving, seemingly on its own.  
Every so often it would jerk to the side or erupt and split and morph into itself, like it was being moulded from the inside.  
It was disturbing, but fascinating none the less.  
It seemed to be taking shape.  
The clay hardening and setting into a believable human form.  
Excitement was bubbling around inside him, the anxiety from before replaced with an avid anticipation.  
Finally, Zelda and Shad stopped their chant, looking towards the still forming body on the table with barely concealed exhilaration.

The clay had turned to a light brown skin.  
It lengthened into two long limbs at the foot at the table, forming legs, one looked injured though; a ragged mess.  
Two muscled arms stretched out of the forming torso, extending into agile fingers.  
The head formed soon after, nose protruding from the mass of what was now flesh.  
Atop of the head, clay became long tendrils which thinned and rolled themselves into messy, shoulder-length locks which developed into a soft looking blond.  
To Links amazement, clothes began weaving themselves around his form – no doubt Zelda's doing.  
A skin-tight exoskeleton complete with cowl and Sheikah symbol fused together like they were being drawn together.  
Finally, eyelids defined themselves and flickered open to reveal dazed blood red orbs.

Then the bleeding started.

The Sheikah groaned in pain and deliria, prompting Zelda to begin treating him.  
Link and Shad joined in also, united in their battle to save this strangers life – which they had only just returned to him.  
Zelda's trembling hands skirted over his torso where most of the blood was running from and pressed a cloth to it, instructing Link to fetch a needle and thread.  
After the worst wounds had been sewn shut, they progressed to his leg, resetting broken bones with a sickening _snap_ which made the Sheikah cry out.  
Shad, who was not used to so much blood and gore was little help, panicking when a cut on his thigh began to spurt blood across the room.  
Eventually, the battle had been won and they all collapsed around the now stable Sheikah, exhausted.

Zelda turned to Link with a tired smile,  
"It is unlikely that he will wake up anytime soon but when he does it is likely that he will panic. Try your best to calm him down until I can get back."  
The hero nodded in understanding,  
"Go get some sleep Zelda, I'll keep watch."  
With a thankful look, the princess quit the chamber along with Shad, who was quibbling about washing the blood off of his clothes

...leaving Link alone with the Sheikah.

* * *

A/N: finally! Chapter 2 done and dusted! I had intended to write more for this but I think I left it in a good place. I didn't want to skip around too much so I kept things in the chamber and in Sheiks past. The relevance of those flashbacks will be more evident later, I realise that they seem a bit random but they break up the monotony somewhat. I wanted to develop Zelda's character a bit and look at how Sheik grew up as an excuse for how he'll act in later chapters. I wrote Sheiks reanimation quite quickly so I'm not entirely happy with it, and I didn't want Link to see Sheik unmasked – yet! I think that'll be a big moment when Sheik shows his face, a show of absolute trust in that person. Sigh, how lovely! Anyway, thank you for reading this far! Next chapter will be ready soon but I'm quite busy this week in rehearsals :(


	3. Chapter 3: awakening

**Origins: Chapter 3**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: well the summary of this chapter is quite straight forward: Everyone loves smexy sheik. Yeah. Imaginative I know but it needs to be said! I just got a limited edition Sheik figurine and I was delighted to find him as a 'him' and not a 'her'. Good thing really, it cost an arm and a leg but it's the price for inspiration. Fanfiction is a capricious mistress indeed... I sent this out without Beta-ing since I felt that I hadn't posted in time, I'll always post before the next week ends :)

WARNINGS: molestation and violence is all methinks

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

* * *

Link sat in silence with the motionless Sheikah.  
Everything in the room was still, as though time itself had frozen.  
The hero only knew that it hadn't jammed and was still ticking forward by looking at the setting sun, now only just peering over the horizon.  
The chamber had gotten dark, and Link was debating lighting some lanterns but couldn't seem to stop staring at the life in front of him.  
That he had seen brought into existence, astonishing as it seemed.

The Sheikah's lithe form stretched and arched with every gentle breath, graceful and steady even in unconsciousness.  
Blue Hylian eyes traced the sheen of perspiration along the Sheikah's brow; tracking drops of sweat that migrated down the bronze skin, committing each twitch and tremble to memory.  
Every muscle in his toned body could be seen through the skin-tight exoskeleton, relaxed before tensing every once in a while when his injuries made themselves known.

The hero could still only just convince himself that the young man was real.  
But there he was, an impossible existence in and of himself.

Link felt just as transfixed by it as he had when he had held the 'all-seeing eye' amulet, and convinced himself that it must be a Sheikan attribute; some ancient magic that was drawing him in.

Thoughtfully, Link leaned forward to examine the area where he had implanted the amulet.  
Perhaps it still had some magnetising power over him and was attempting to draw him back into his earlier comatose state.

With no small amount of curiosity, Link stretched jittery fingers towards the neck of the Sheikahs exoskeleton; intent of examining his chest, where the soul conduit now resided.  
Peach fingers curled softly around the rim of the unconscious teens' clothing before slowly and tortuously exposing smooth swarthy skin.

The hero gulped at the sight, his body trembling out of what he put down to anticipation.  
Finally, Link found the spot he was searching for.  
Just between the Sheikah's collar bone and pectoral, directly in line with his upper arm, was an exact image of the 'all-seeing eye', black and very apparent in the dimming light.

It looked as if it were etched into his skin, or perhaps permanently inked on.  
It seemed to swim before his very eyes.  
It was almost as if was alive and moving around in restlessness.  
It eluded his understanding more than anything else he had seen in his prior nineteen years.

Decided that he had seen enough, Link returned the elasticised material to its original resting place before letting his hand hover uncertainly over the Sheikah's cowl.

He longed to pull it down and unveil the enigmatic face before him.  
To investigate the curves and contours of the mysterious teen's visage, merely hinted at behind his cowl.  
His curiosity urged him to discard the offending garment and see what resided beneath.

Once again, Link allowed his hand to quiver over the Sheikahs face and felt the warm breath heating his hand, sending pleased tingles up his spine.  
He had just been about to tug the rough material free from its bindings when he was interrupted.

The Sheikah had given a moan, followed by a sharp intake of breath.  
The hero jumped out of his hypnotised state and snapped his wondering hand back as if it had been burned; cursing himself for being so jumpy.

Without looking back, Link hastened out of the room to acquire a lantern.  
He was too flustered to have noticed a Stalfos, had one have entered the room, let alone the dark presence gathering in the chamber.

A malevolent presence which had not been there before the Sheikah's arrival.

The creature remained hidden; Camouflaged perfectly amongst the shadowy places of the chamber.  
It peered around the room, searching for its target.  
Some chairs, blood splattered bandages, and a table set in the centre of the room were all that adorned the chamber, but something else caught his attention.  
Lying on said table was a young man, vacant of consciousness.

The creature's eyes widened in unconcealed delight – it had found him.

Calmly, methodically, it approached the Sheikah whilst smirking triumphantly.  
At last, after all these years, it finally had the Sheikah boy at its mercy.  
One pale white hand reached forward, ghosting over the unconscious teen's face – incapable of touch in its current state.

Its hand glided softly over the Sheikah's form.  
Down his supple neck and across his clothed chest; sensing his heartbeat rather than feeling it.  
The creature groaned in desire, a husky hollow noise which rumbled in its chest.  
Its other hand caressed the Sheikahs golden-rod hair, imagining the soft texture and marvelling at its radiant sheen.

It lamented its inability to feel the boy ensnared by its muscled arms, if the Sheikah moved but an inch, he would pass directly through its transient form.  
Nevertheless, it closed its faintly glowing eyes an imagined a physical form where it could caress the teen below it rather than simply encircle him.

It continued its ministrations for a while, animalistic growls emerging gratingly from its throat.  
It could only wonder what it would be like to touch such a being, an erotic mixture of coiled strength and pleasing softness...  
It smirked at the thought.  
Its hand investigated a firm stomach, pausing slightly at softly protruding hips; hands roaming possessively before reaching lower to softly grope his thighs and –

The door opened suddenly.  
Light flooded the room.  
For a moment Link could have sworn he had seen a dark figure leaning over the Sheikah before dissolving into the shadows.  
He shook his head firmly, trying to wake himself up.  
A trick of the mind and nothing more.  
It couldn't have been another person, surely...

For one, there was no one there now, and secondly it had looked almost like it had been...

Even so, the air in the chamber seemed thicker, as though he had just interrupted something private and uncomfortable; the tense atmosphere putting the Ordonian even more on edge then he had been.

Submitting to his paranoia, the hero checked around the room for an unwelcome presence.  
Behind the door, under the table, even hanging from the distant window ledge – searching for anything out of place.  
The room was just as empty and untouched as it had been when he had left.  
If there had been someone in the room, they would have to have vanished into thin air.

Link snapped out of his musings when the Sheikah on the table groaned and twisted his partially concealed face in pain.  
The hero leapt to the injured teens' side, uncertain of how to respond to the Sheikah's malady and torn between either doing what he could here, or fetching Zelda.

Sheik looked erratically around the room in a panic.  
His body felt stiff and unused, as though his joints hadn't been bent for days and had become accustomed to lying prone.  
His head was banging, an erratic pounding in his skull.  
The Sheikah looked about him, confused and hurting – where was he?  
He knew that he had never been here before; the last thing he remembered was lying in the snow with Zelda.  
Had they been rescued after all?  
He turned to the rooms other occupant to ask, but instead his breath caught in his throat.

Alarmed red eyes met wary blue orbs, drinking the Ordonian in.

The green clad form was all too familiar to him, snapping him out of his daze instantly.

Link opened his mouth and asked the now conscious teen how he was feeling, eyes transfixed on the Sheikah's bloody hue and recalling Zelda's abridged Sheikah history.

_'They cried so bitterly that their bloody tears stained their eyes a crimson red as a constant reminder.'_Link had known that the Sheikahs eyes would have a red tinge to them, but had never expected such a deep crimson pooling beneath the teens eyelids.  
_  
_Sheik scrutinised the young man before him.  
He had been about to answer the question when something had struck him in much the same way as an arrow through the heart would have done.  
He identified the face before him as that of his long time friend and ally, but there was no recognition from him – his eyes reflected nothing but concern and perhaps wariness.  
Even though each feature – that nose, that jaw line, that build – was easily retrievable from his memory, alarm bells were screaming bloody murder at him from inside his head.  
Link looked... different somehow...

His hair was not the golden blonde that he remembered, nor were his eyes that familiar clear blue; both were darker and had more depth to them.  
This Link had hair more comparable to a rich honey with patches where a darker brown highlighted it, whereas his eyes were the exact shade of deep, cool water.

This man before him may have looked like his friend, but the differences were difficult to ignore.  
Sheikah eyes are impossible to deceive after all; they can see clearly the difference between truth and lie.  
Right now, Sheik was certain of one thing: his senses were insisting that the man before him was an impostor.  
He decided that he had to test his theory...

"Link," he began, voice croaking through lack of use, "where is Zelda?"  
Sheik hadn't even felt the need to test the man before him by asking questions only the real link would know, his face and next statement said it all.

"How do you... how do you know my name?" Link bemusedly asked, suspicion and amazement increasing by the second.  
However amazement was quickly replaced by pain when the Sheikah lunged at him, knocking the hero off of his feet with a startled yelp.

Sheik leapt away once the impostor had been knocked off balance, surveying the area for a weapon.  
Finally, he spotted a freestanding, metal candelabrum in the corner of the unfamiliar room.  
Brandishing the flaming end towards the would-be hero, Sheik got into a fighting stance.  
He couldn't let the potentially dangerous man roam free, not to mention that he had a lot of questions to ask him.

Link had recovered from the assault angry and bruised, unhooking his shield from his back once he saw the rouge Sheikahs choice of weapon.  
He knew that if there was a fight he would have to end it quickly before Zelda heard and came running.  
However, he also felt very reluctant to harm the blatantly confused Sheikah – knowing that he was injured and likely exhausted with pain.  
_Nevertheless,_ Link thought as he dodged a violent swing from the Sheikahs candelabrum, _it seems I'll just have to beat some sense into him!_

Sheik swung again, the heavy metal becoming uncomfortably slick with sweat. The attack was met with a savage thrust from the imposters shield, forcing the Sheikah backwards a few inches.  
The warriors circled each other, observing each other for any weaknesses.  
Sheik knew that in his current state he couldn't fight up to his true standard, but he could sure as hell try!  
The sheikah deftly flipped his weapon length ways, deciding on a flurry of quick attacks.  
He forced the metal rod forwards, causing the green clad man to dodge to the left.  
Not leaving the impostor with any recovery time, Sheik chased him with a vertical swing which was barely avoided thanks to a quick sideward's roll.  
The sheikah finished with a diagonal slash which caught his foe on the crook of his neck.

Link shouted in pain.  
The flame from the candelabrum may have been blown out from prior swings, but the wax and metal was still searing hot.  
Had the hero not have been occupied by his adversary's fluid attacks, he would have marvelled at the Sheikahs flawless movements – like liquid in physical form.  
Link knew that he had to get in closer, the Sheikahs weapon had a long and effective range but it would be rendered useless if he could get close enough to inflict a physical attack.  
Prepared for the next attack, Link caught the scorching end of the rod in a gauntleted hand, wincing as he felt the heat penetrating the armour.  
Smugly he saw the Sheikahs eyes widen in surprise before trying to wrench the weapon free.  
Link however used his superior strength to tug it towards himself, Sheikah and all.  
Gritting his teeth, the hero forced his shield forwards, aiming for a blow to the head.

Sheik however, twisted his body midflight and took the blow to his shoulder instead – intent on avoiding the unconsciousness the previous attack would have almost certainly brought.

Sheiks shoulder had connected painfully with the other mans shield, irritated that he was being almost defeated by the man, who incidentally had not even drawn a weapon.  
He felt his bad leg begin to bleed anew, streams of blood trickling down his leg and soaking his clothes.  
He hadn't thought he would have to twist his body in such a way.  
Plus, he had let go of his only weapon in the process.  
He had been so careful not to open the wounds on his stomach and abdomen too!  
If he let this battle continue for any longer then he would surely pass out again, this time in the hands of an active enemy.  
Changing his approach, Sheik desperately sent a barrage of punches and kicks into his opponents stomach; receiving a satisfactory grunt of pain.

Link, adrenaline pumping through his veins, tackled the sheikah to the cold stone floor by catching his bad leg mid-kick and propelling himself forwards.

The result was a tangle of furious limbs – neither of them knowing if they were hitting themselves or their enemy.  
It would have been comical in any other circumstances.

The fight would have gone on longer were it not for a livid princess dumping a pale of icy water over the duelling males with a distinguished cry of:  
"If you have quite finished!"

Link, who recognised the vein pulsing in her head as a danger sign tried to reason with her (still holding Sheik in a chokehold).  
"Zelda! You don't understand! I had no choice, he just attacked me and I just –"

Sheik didn't remember having bitten the broader man, but he promptly released Links forearm once he caught sight of the princess – another familiar face.  
His reason told him that she was most likely another imposter, but he longed to run up to the woman he had assumed died in the snowy mountains.  
Looking at this Zelda, he noticed the same differences as he had in the Link impostor – darker hair and eyes.

He felt another surge of anger at whoever dared to imitate the most important people in his life; especially ones that he didn't know were even alive.  
He had practically witnessed Zelda's death, and Link was still...

Link was still...

Snapping out of his thoughts, Sheik struggled to escape the tight hold that the imposter Link had on his neck, his weight pressing uncomfortably on his injuries.

The princess, having observed the Sheikahs internal struggle and being satisfied that Link had him held tight, crouched down to the distressed teen and looked him directly in the eye.  
"I am the princess Zelda, current ruler of Hyrule, if I may ask for your name?"

Sheik looked at her incredulously.  
Did she honestly think she could fool him into believing that she was his bond mate?  
...Although, in retrospect it didn't seem as if either of the two were trying to fool him into thinking anything.

_In fact,_ Sheik pondered, _they aren't making much of an effort at all – excluding their outwards appearance, they act as though we have never met before...  
_  
Deciding to humour his captors, Sheik answered the fake princesses question.  
"I am Sheik, last of the Sheikah. Although if you were really Zelda you would not need to ask me such a thing!"  
The princess looked at him with a mixture of curiously and pity.  
Sheik decided that he didn't like that expression being directed at him very much.  
"Sheik... what year do you think it is?"  
The Sheikah was taken aback but answered truthfully.

Zelda and Link exchanged a knowing look, uncertain as to how to reveal to the youth that he had died almost five centuries beforehand.  
"Sheik this will come as a shock to you, but you died approximately five hundred years ago. I believe that you have mistaken us for people that you once knew; I can assure you that this is not an attempt to deceive you but is instead an unhappy coincidence."  
Zelda stared into widened crimson eyes, not wanting to overload the sheikah with such drastic information.  
"We summoned your spirit from the realm of the dead in the hopes that you would be able to help us.  
We are facing a foe which has only ever emerged once before – around the time that you died.  
We were hopeful that you may know something of this foe that could help...  
I know this seems farfetched Sheik but please listen!  
It will be difficult but it is alright to trust people! It is alright to trust me! To trust us -"

"YOU'RE LYING!"  
Sheik shouted, incapable of listening silently any longer.  
She had spoken so sincerely that he had almost believed her, but then...

'_It is alright to trust people. It is alright to trust me.'_

Those words had felt like a slap across his face. They were exactly the same as the real Zelda had said to him the first time they had met in the castle courtyard.

With strength that Sheik didn't even know he could muster, he threw off the slackening grip on his throat and leapt out of the open window; catching himself on a hanging flag pole before curling his body around it and continuing his descent towards the town below.

Link and Zelda looked at each other in a panic.  
"Link! You have to go after him!"  
The hero nodded in agreement, knowing his duty but still harbouring sore feelings towards the sheikah for their battle.  
He could understand the Sheikahs reaction to the news, but his pride was stinging alongside the nasty burns on his neck and hand.  
Zelda's distraught face left him with no option however.  
He never could stand a crying woman...

_Fine._ He decided with a laboured sigh,_ I'll get the Sheikah back, but only for Zelda's sake!_..................................................................................................................................................................

The fake Zelda's words were echoing in Sheiks head.

Dead?  
It simply wasn't possible!  
He couldn't just be dead!  
Sheik could feel his heart beating, he could feel pain, and he was breathing for Dins sake!  
He sure as hell wasn't DEAD!

Eventually, he reached the ground and set off at a run.  
He didn't care where; he just needed to get away.  
He needed to process the whole thing.  
As much as he didn't want to admit it, Zelda's story had made sense.

The way that she and Link had not tried to convince him that they were not impostors.  
The way that Link had not drawn his sword, attempting to disarm him only.  
The fact that last thing he remembered was bleeding endlessly in all that all-engulfing white...

Could he really have... died...?

His senses were fool proof, so how could he not see through those impostors lies with any certainty?  
He couldn't accept it.  
He couldn't accept it because if he did then that would mean accepting that Link and Zelda...

_His_ Link and Zelda were _dead_.

Where did that leave him?  
The last of a long forgotten race in a land he knew nothing about, with two people (reincarnations maybe?) who looked and sounded exactly like his deceased friends.

Sheik pushed his exhausted body to its limits, running as fast as he was able.

_For the love of Nayru, please let it be a lie!_

* * *

Smirking at the chaotic situation around him, the creature peered at the changed world around it from its makeshift residence in the Sheikah's nourishing shadow.

This was all going better than it had expected.

Its little Sheik was all alone, upset and vulnerable – ripe for the taking!  
But first, it needed a body... something with which he could confront the sheikah and finally take what he had wanted for so long.

A simple possession would do fine.

All it needed was an opportunity...

* * *

A/N: at last! I finished it! Good job, me! This isn't my best work, but it does the job methinks. I've deliberately kept 'the creature' ambiguous for a reason. Some of you may guess who it is, and to them I give a hearty well done! I've gotten through most of my busy work so I'm going to get as muc written in these two weeks as possible so that I can have a regular update timetable at last! I hope you enjoyed chapter 3.


	4. Chapter 4: Oppertunity

**Origins: Chapter 4**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: hmm... last chapter was too short for my liking, so to make amends this one will be a great deal longer...hopefully! New character in this chappy – I wasn't planning on him, he just sort of forced his way in without asking. I have no idea how important he'll be, so I guess he'll keep us guessing for a while to come ;) It's a long'un so please be patient!

Special thanks to my Beta 'Edward Houshi' who has made this readable!

WARNINGS: sexual content, violence, and naughty language :)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

* * *

The sun had long since set with no sign from Link.  
It had been three hours since Sheik had run away and there was nothing to say that they would return soon.

Zelda's heart had really gone out to the blond teen.  
He had looked so lost and alone when she had told him that he had died five centuries earlier.  
She had just wanted to take him into her arms and comfort him like a child, but reason had held her back.

No matter how young and wretched he looked, he was a Sheikah – an inherently elite warrior, and she couldn't afford to take any risks.  
Not with an entire kingdom on her shoulders.  
A kingdom that had, at the moment, dragged her away from the search on some urgent business.

Zelda was currently seated at her throne, a concerned look flittering across her fair face.  
There had been an emergency meeting called between several nervous looking councillors and herself.  
Out of the elected twelve members of the council, only seven were remaining.  
For the first few, their deaths were put down to unfortunate accidents – however, after coincidental death number three, the fear of murder began to spread like a sinister whisper penetrating Hyrule's government.

The suspicion of calculated homicide became certainty after the attempt on Zelda's life in front of the entire court.  
The attack, while violent and shocking, had been dealt with surprisingly quickly.  
Her attacker had not waited for her to be alone and thus attacked in a guarded public place; it had not put up much of a fight either.  
It had announced itself loudly – yowling at the top of its detestable lungs before flailing its arms and dashing towards her.

Zelda had decided with much certainty, that the attack had been a warning.  
A threat meant to intimidate the court and induce mass hysteria.

She had been hopeful that she would have some answers regarding the identity of her attackers by now, with Sheik's help.  
That notion however, had disappeared out of the window along with the Sheikah himself.

She may have been the vessel for the triforce of wisdom, but at the moment she felt absolutely clueless.  
All she had were suspicions.  
Zelda knew that she was clutching at straws in the dark, but she also knew that a few anti-monarchists were spreading rumours about her incompetence.

She could hear the gossip spreading down the corridors of Hyrule castle:  
'Her highness is not the ruler that our kingdom needs.'  
'The princess Zelda is just a spoiled little girl.'  
'Our ruler does not know how to run a nation such as this!'

It was infuriating to know that she was powerless before such propaganda.

She did not believe that any one of her councillors was the mastermind behind these creatures' resurrection, but she also did not put it past one or two to take advantage of the situation.

Hyrule may be ruled by the monarchy, but several power hungry councillors had their grubby hands groping for her metaphorical sceptre.

_Politics_, she had learned, _is like swimming with piranhas_.

"Your royal highness," an elderly member of the council began, "I am afraid that these dark and desperate hours are far from dawn as of yet.  
Another of our fellows has fallen milady, and the people are looking to you for guidance!"

Zelda bowed her head sombrely, the death toll having risen to six.  
Half of her council were dead and the court had yet to see a single culprit apprehended.  
She knew that the court were unhappy with the situation, but she honestly was doing all that she could given the circumstances.

Hyrules monarch moved her gaze to a middle aged man towards the left hand side of the room, her chief doctor, who took this as a signal to speak.

"Your highness, the autopsy results show many similarities to the previous victims.  
He had been savaged in a secluded area by what appears at first sight to be a large animal.  
Like the other victims however, the dental reconstruction shows the imprint of a human mouth with minor altercations – the elongated canines.  
As such we have concluded –"

"If you have nothing new to say then I suggest we get on with the audience with her royal highness," sneered a low voice from the rear of the room,  
"I'm sure the her royal highness has _more important_ issues to contend with. Running rouge with an Ordonian goat herder for example!"

Zelda's eyes narrowed in barely concealed resentment.  
If the councillors had not been publically elected officials then she would have barred this man from her court immediately.

Dennik had risen through the ranks thanks to his charisma and his public image as a representative of the common man.  
Usually officials came from rich, influential families but the dark haired man had broken the pattern.  
Having been born as an ordinary citizen of Castle town, he had grown in the public's favour as 'one of them'.  
The people were overjoyed when he reached the position of councillor – second only to Zelda herself.

In reality, the dark haired man was very adept at riling other people up in public, thereby making himself look superior.  
Although he was the newest member of the council, he knew how to utilize the delicacies of court in order to get his own way.  
A manipulator – the worst kind of man possible.

"Do forgive me Sir Dennik," Zelda replied, smothering her indignation, "but I was under the impression that I am a grown woman, and that I can associate with whomever I choose. Furthermore, I believe that we are here to discuss the death of a much loved colleague – not to occupy ourselves with foolish banter in a crisis."

"I could not have put it better myself, your highness. Your silver tongue and apparent intellect are matched only by your stubbornness in abjectly refusing to properly govern your kingdom!"

Zelda was seething too much to construct a proper retort.  
Dennik smirked in victory, drawling out his words in his usual honeyed baritone,

"As aforementioned, the people look to you for guidance and instead of a strong matriarch, what do they see?  
They see a petulant child playing princess.  
The public may have once seen you as the beginning of a new era but what, I ask you, is being done for your people who are slaughtered endlessly by night?  
It is this, your highness, which has led the court to this unfortunate and regrettable decision."

The princess furrowed her brow in suspicion.

"And pray tell what decision do you speak of?"

"The remaining members of the council have unanimously decided that you are –ah, how should I put this – unsuited to the current political climate."

Zelda gasped in shock, as did several others around the room.  
Dennik's eyes glowed in triumph, knowing that had the princess cornered.

"You mean to dethrone me and my family after centuries of service to this land?" Zelda inquired with no small amount of anger, desperately hoping that she had heard wrong.  
The royal family had always been in control of their kingdom, because even though a unanimous vote by the elected councillors could have them removed, the monarchy was far too powerful to command anything less than absolute respect and obedience.

Dennik smirked triumphantly whilst the other councillors averted their eyes from the now ex-princess of Hyrule.

"You truly are a perceptive woman, Zelda. Rest assured that I will take good care of Hyrule as the council's representative until the time comes that you are once again needed. The council expects you to publically announce your... entirely voluntary abdication in two days!"

And just like that, it all clicked into place.

The councillors that had been killed had all been supporters of the monarchy and Zelda, preventing any legal usurping of the throne.  
However, a council made up of cowardly old men was a ripe opportunity for any power hungry opportunist to remove her from her position of power.

All one would have to do was simply kill off her more vocal supporters and intimidate the rest into legal action.

She had no other options and there was no hope of retaliation. The vote was perfectly legitimate.

That smirking usurper had her completely at his mercy, and he knew it.

At least now she had a clue.  
Dennik was somehow connected to the person who had resurrected those damnable creatures but how and why she could not tell.  
Her blue eyes met Dennik's brown ones with a relentlessly icy fire.

She would not let him get away with this, not in a million years.

* * *

Sheik had found rest an hour or so ago after staggering out of Castle town, in a field to the south.

He couldn't get over how much the world had changed since his supposed death.  
The land of Hyrule seemed bigger, wider than he remembered it.  
It was almost as if the goddesses had reformed it whilst he had been ... 'gone'.

The idea of being dead seemed so incredibly foreign to Sheik.  
His unparalleled senses told him that he was alive through the rustling of the grass, the fresh scent of evening wind, the rich indigo of the night sky, the tint of blood on his tongue, the texture of the cloth entwined between his fingers...

This was true.  
This was real.

And yet, so was Zelda's explanation.  
He could feel the prevailing truth rushing through him.  
Added to the prospect that Zelda had said the exact same sentence as... Zelda had? (4)

Not only did they have to look, speak, and act the same they had to be named the same too?  
The Sheikah decided inwardly that from that point onwards, the current Zelda and Link would be 'Princess' and 'Hero'.

If the princess was either Zelda's reincarnation (or at least a descendant of hers), then Sheik would be bound to serve her in much the same way as he had his bond mate.  
This came as both a blessing and a curse to the Sheikah.  
He was unused to not serving a master- a Sheikah's place is kneeling in servitude after all.  
Anything less than complete submission was unacceptable.

But he didn't know if he could stand this.  
Obeying someone who was the perfect copy of his best friend, while knowing that the original is dead...  
It was just too horrific to imagine.

The same went for the hero.  
He would never be the same as Link, reincarnation or not, but that stirred up buried feelings in Sheik that he thought he had given up long ago.

Hero and Link looked the same.  
Hero and Link acted the same.  
Hero and Link fought the same.

But do Hero and Link feel the same?

Sheik shook his head, determined to purge those traitorous thoughts from his mind.  
Link had been out of his reach long before Sheik had been reborn.  
He knew it would never stop hurting, seeing the face of the man he had secretly loved on a stranger's body.  
It hurt so much that the tears that he had wanted to shed burst into cold fury.  
He wanted to scream and rant at the top of his lungs but held his rage in.  
There was no point in wasting any more energy after all, and that battle against hero had really taken it out of him.

Sheik refused to admit it, but inwardly he was a little...impressed by hero's skill.  
He had never fought his Link properly before, only sparring on occasion.  
Had Link been just as strong as hero was?

Sheik sighed.  
He felt a little dizzy from the blood loss, not to mention his hunger pangs (being dead gathers quite an appetite it seems).  
He was drained, physically and emotionally.

No matter how he looked at it, the last Sheikah was more alone now then he had ever been in life.

* * *

Link turned a corner in castle town, scanning every alley for the Sheikah.

It was getting too dark to see clearly, and soon he would be unable to see anything at all.  
The hero remembered grimly that the Sheikah was unarmed, injured, and unaware of the dangers that came out at night.

He moved even faster at the thought, kicking himself for not finishing the monster that had attacked him and Zelda a few nights previously.  
It was most likely still out there, searching for easy prey – and what was more of a delicacy than a helpless sheikah for a midnight snack?

The Ordonian scurried down the thankfully deserted streets.  
He knew how shifty he looked running down the towns winding alleys in the dark, and wished he could transform into a wolf and ask some nearby animals.  
Unfortunately that ability had deserted him along with Midna.

Link shivered, charging his way down a side street he was sure he had passed not five minutes ago.  
Maybe Sheik had left castle town altogether and he would have more luck if he broadened his range and searched the fields?

He paused for a few minutes, having to catch his breath.  
Because he had been running for so long, he hadn't noticed the drop in temperature.  
Now that he was still, he was able to notice his breath blossoming from his mouth.

Sheik's outfit hadn't looked like the warmest garment around...

Desperation to find the Sheikah rejuvenated, Link headed for Castle town's main gate.

* * *

It emerged from its hiding place in Sheiks shadow with all the fluidity of a ripple in Lake Hylia.  
The creature was masked by the now complete darkness, moving freely around the oblivious Sheikah.  
Ever the opportunist, it simply couldn't resist announcing itself to the shivering blonde teen on the ground before him.

Regretfully, the creature slinked back in the direction of the Castle town gate where it had seen a lone guard on duty.  
That guard would be the perfect candidate for this task: Strong, tall, and able to overpower the petite Sheikah.  
The creature shuddered in ecstasy, its plans beginning to flourish.

It wasn't a long journey back by far and it had gathered a lot of energy from hiding in Sheiks shadow and basking in the darkness.  
It dipped in and out of the dim torchlight on the castle steps, searching for its unknowing victim.

A Sheikah's natural connection to the crossover of the world meant that their shadows were a cornucopia of health to a being such as him – in fact it is comparable to a potion for a Hylian.  
Having resided in such a concentrated shadow for several hours, the creature had more than enough strength to possess the guard it was creeping up on.

It couldn't see the man's face behind his visor, a minor irritation as it was normally very selective over who it selected a host.  
Ordinarily it picked those which a face similar to its own.  
This time however, it would make an exception.

The creature thinned itself into tendrils of transparent black smoke which effortlessly glided up the unsuspecting Guard's armour.  
Even a passerby in complete daylight was unlikely to notice the curling obsidian ribbons.  
This man didn't stand a chance.

The guard breathed in slow and regular- unaware that he was inhaling another being.  
He suddenly felt drowsy, not unusual for a night watchman.  
The flickering torchlight seemed oddly hypnotic.  
His eyelids were dropping.  
His legs felt like iron.  
Already lulled half-asleep, the guard slumped to the ground, staff clattering on the cobblestones.

When his eyes next opened, the creature was the one staring out.  
It flexed its new muscles experimentally, unaccustomed to a body so powerful but not displeased.  
It was just like trying on a new glove, only the glove was another human being.  
The only sign of the creatures' possession was the man's eyes turning from a deep brown to ruby red underneath his visor.  
It walked a few steps to get its bearings before grinning manically.

It was ready to confront Sheik.

* * *

Sheik felt uneasy.  
He was uncertain as to why he had such a foreboding feeling building in the pit of his stomach but he knew better then to disregard it.  
In his line of work, intuition was the difference between life and death.

At least, he assumed he could die again... he seriously regretted running away from the castle without asking more questions.  
It had been stupid, a novice's mistake which Sheik had thought he would never slip into no matter how upset he had been.

His instincts were telling him to head somewhere crowded – somewhere less open, but he crumpled back to the floor when he tried to stand.  
His reopened injuries made him grit his teeth in pain, especially his leg.  
The long trek away from the castle after his fight hadn't helped any either.

The bitter wind was picking up, throwing his hair around in a flaxen maelstrom.  
Its' sheer force propelled him forward, almost as if it were warning him to leave and howling with urgency.  
Under normal circumstances, Sheik would have been able to confidently stand his ground – he was an able fighter after all, but unarmed and wounded?  
Staying would be suicide if anything hostile were to appear.

Forcing himself to his feet, the sheikah stumbled forwards with clenched teeth.  
He was about to take a painful step forward when his ears pricked up.

Barely distinguishable under the howl of the wind was an unwelcome noise – a low chuckle.  
Sheik looked around him wildly, searching for its source and was greeted by nothing but the evening gloom.  
He listened closer.  
The laughter was still there, sinister and mocking.  
It seemed to pierce through the air itself, getting progressively louder and echoing the more he listened.

"How adorable! Watching you struggle never ceases to amuse me..."

Sheik followed the direction of that smooth baritone voice by turning around.  
Perched on a low hanging wall a few metres behind was a broad Hylian guard, slouched against a wall in fatigue.  
There was something not quite right in the man's voice, something mechanical and sinister sounding.  
Its unnatural quality grated the fair-haired teen; the guards' voice simply didn't fit his body as if it were a badly tuned musical instrument.

The Sheikah frowned, Insulted by the man's condescending tone.

"Who are you? Identify yourself!"

The visible portion of the guard's face contorted into an expression of mock hurt although his distorted voice was filled with mirth,  
"It hurts that you don't recognise me, love. But just this once I'll forgive you, after all..."

Sheik seethed at the word 'love'.  
How dare this man address him so familiarly!

The guard continued with his default smirk back in position.  
"Today is the day of our rebirth! We should celebrate in style... my little Sheik..."

The Sheikah recoiled in shock.  
How on earth did this stranger know his name?  
Even if they had met before, he was five hundred years into the future – any acquaintances should by all rights be in the realm of the dead.  
If this man was telling the truth and knew him, he clearly possessed some powerful magic.

Sheik tensed his body in preparation; the situation had become a lot more dangerous.  
He may not be able to physically fight, but the sheikah assumed that his magical abilities were in working order – enough so to get himself a safe distance away.

The Sheikah closed his eyes and called out to the magic flowing through his veins.  
This would have worked better if he had a Deku nut handy to stun the guard whilst he collected the mystic energy within him, but he would have to do without.  
As he felt the familiar tension building in his head, he felt an unfamiliar burning in his chest.

Meanwhile the guard was approaching tortuously slow, confident in his assured victory over the Sheikah.

Sheik rubbed one hand irritated over the burning sensation, just over his heart.  
He couldn't build up enough magical energy to cast even a simple teleportation spell, as though there was some kind of mental block.  
He was beginning to panic now.  
The man was close enough to reach out and touch him.  
He wasn't able to fight a man as physically powerful as the guard.  
And he couldn't seem to be able to cast any magic.

"Trying to escape me, love? We both know it's better to submit,"  
The man clamped a gauntleted hand around Sheiks forearm, snapping the Sheikah into action.  
He didn't know what this stranger had planned, but he wouldn't go down without a fight!  
Sheik propelled his fist into the guard's unguarded jawbone as hard as he could – which must have been very hard indeed as the force of it sent the man's visor flying off of his face.

The guard's now bare face, while not unpleasant, was rough looking and could he could be placed in his early forties.  
It was not a face that the Sheikah recognised.  
The man just chuckled and rubbed his jaw.  
"Well, well! Feisty aren't we! Who knows...? I may just enjoy this more...!"  
The man turned his head so that he was facing the disgusted Sheikah and blinked his glowing red eyes.

Sheik shuddered at both the man's lewd suggestions and at his eyes, a strange parody of his own.  
Not allowing the guard to gain another hold on him, the Sheikah launched another attack, weaker than the first.  
This time however, the larger man was ready for the blow and caught it midflight.  
The teen struggled futilely in the sturdy grip as his other limb was pinned to his side.  
Sheik growled savagely and head butted the still smiling man ineffectively.

He felt as though he was being humoured.  
It felt as though he was a mouse cornered by a sadistic cat.  
He felt rage bubbling up inside of him; what he wouldn't give to knock the smirk right off of the gloating bastard's face.

The man had the Sheikah in a too tight hold, so that if the teen struggled his wrist could easily snap in two.  
Sheik grimaced at the sensation of his joints cracking and tendons being pulled taut under the other mans unyielding grip.  
Upon seeing his predicament, the guard laughed again and whispered softly into his ear as a lover would.

"Game over, love."

Sheik's eyes widened as he was pushed to the ground, the broad males' weight above crushing him.  
A suddenly armour less hand traced his hip bones in smooth circles; the other hand pinning Sheik's other hand over his head.  
A foreign hand traced up and down his side, making Sheik want to peel away from the unwelcome touch.

The distressed teen bucked as hard as he could manage, unwilling to submit even in such an impossible situation.  
This motion however served only to excite his captor even more, a guttural growl of approval sinuously rumbling from the man's torso.

The wind screeched around the two and merged with the sound of the guard's laughter.  
The darkened sky blocking the external world from view, leaving only those glowing red eyes.  
Everything seemed cold apart from Sheik's now tainted skin which burned in synchronicity to each inescapable caress.

The creature was shaking in ecstasy.  
Finally it was touching the object of its desires instead of imagining.  
It had almost forgotten how good it felt to have a physical body, to breathe and touch again.  
Just one more thing and the deed would be complete...

"As much as I would like to take my time with this, I don't think I can hold back any longer..."  
His hand trailed down Sheiks squirming appendages until he reached his upper thigh, pausing teasingly,  
"Still, I promise you'll enjoy it!"

"GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!"  
Sheik screeched, unable hold his tongue any longer.  
The man groaned in delight.

"That's it! Scream for me pet!"

* * *

Link's search of the fields had borne no results so far.  
He was tired, frustrated, and sorely wishing he could go back to the castle.  
Maybe the Sheikah had seen sense and returned already?  
Link cursed his heroic streak for keeping him out on a wild goose chase, but he couldn't just potentially abandon the sheikah with only the southern field left to check.

As he trudged through the long grasses of Hyrule field when he was he heard what sounded like a shout.  
He halted mid-step.  
Had that been Sheik?  
Who else would be out in this kind of weather?  
It must have been close for him to hear it over the wind...

Link set of at a sprint in the direction he had heard the scream, stumbling over the occasional tree root.

He reached the southern field after a few minutes and looked around frantically.  
It was too dark to see much of anything, but from the corner of his eye he saw a flash of red hovering in midair – looking almost like a pair of haunting eyes.

He followed the red light as a starting point, hearing the faint sounds of a struggle.  
Realisation hit him as soon as he was close enough to see.

Sheik was lying on the ground; arms pinned above his head with a larger man flush against him.  
The sheikah was struggling and writhing in the dirt, trying his best not to call out, while the man let his hand roam all over the defenceless teen.

Link was about to jump in to help when something made his breath catch.  
The man's hand wandered lower until the hero could not see its position, but from the Sheikahs reaction he could hazard a damn good guess.  
Sheik let loose a dry reluctant sob.  
The sound was so pitiful that it made Links heart twinge.

That's when he saw red.

Link dived at Sheiks assailant, unleashing a string of profanities.  
The man, who had been too occupied to notice the hero's presence, cursed in return and sent a harsh knee into Links stomach in an attempt to get some distance between them.  
Link was having none of it, pounding into the larger man's face and chest where the amour had been removed.

Sheik crawled away a few inches before sitting up to watch the fight.  
Hero had... come after him?  
Even after everything he'd done?

Link was consumed by a scorching fury.  
Never before had he wanted to cause another human such pain (aside from Ganondorf).  
For some reason when he had seen Sheik in that position he had just snapped.  
Logically it didn't make sense.  
Why would he be drawn to and get so blindingly furious for someone he barely knew?

The creature was not best pleased to have been interrupted when it was so close to taking the Sheikah, but knew that he could do little thanks to the hero's arrival.  
Besides, it would have the Sheikah eventually; it was as inevitable as the sun rising and setting.  
For now, it would recede and wait for another opportunity to arise.

Link paused in his attack, fist hovering uncertainly in the air.  
The man's face was a bloody mess and he was shaking in terror.  
The hero was horrified – had he really done that?  
Never before had he beaten a man half to death with his own two hands.  
Never before had Link been afraid of himself – of what he was capable of.  
He could have easily killed this man cowering before him.  
Did this man have a family?  
Could Link have almost robbed a wife of her husband, or a child of their father?  
Underneath the man's fear Link could detect confusion, as if he had just woken up.  
His eyes were no longer a glowing red either but a warm brown.  
Something told Link that this was not the same man he had forced away from Sheik.  
As soon as he had released his grip on the guard, the man's eyes lolled backwards in a dead faint.

Sheik however, saw something that Link did not; a thin tendril of black fog leaking out from the man's face.  
He gaped at the sight.  
The black wisps gave him a bad feeling, and it emitted a foul power like a flame emits heat.  
Had it not been so dark, the Sheikah would not have lost sight of it, and would have in turn seen the black mist join his own shadow.

The pair sat in silence, each contemplating what had just happened that night.

Sheik was seething that he had been subdued so easily but also shaken up.  
In one day he had been brought back from the dead, fought the reincarnation of his deceased love, and almost been raped.

Then there was that black mist...  
All of his suppressed emotions were swimming to the surface.  
He didn't know how to deal with it all; it was too much to cope with all at once.

So when Link broke the silence Sheik burst:

"Yes, I'm fine! Who asked you to jump to my rescue anyway! Don't you think I can look after myself?"

Sheik knew he was being harsh, but he didn't care.  
Not only does he stick his nose in where it doesn't belong, he has to do it wearing Link's face!  
Didn't he understand how hurtful that was?  
Pettiness was always one of the Sheikah's worse qualities, and right now he wanted the hero to hurt just like he was.

Link on the other hand was very taken aback.  
He had put his own life at risk to defend this ungrateful teen and had worried himself sick over his well being; now he was repaid with anger?  
The injustice of it all stung and just got the Ordonian even more worked up.

"I suppose 'thank you for your help' is out of the question then! I didn't need to help you, or spend HOURS out searching for you! I should've just left you there, you ungrateful bastard!"

Crimson eyes narrowed.  
"Yeah, well maybe you should have. At least then I wouldn't have to look at your damn face!"  
It was childish, he knew, but somehow it made him feel better.

"The only reason I even came here was because Zelda was worrying over you. Why else would anyone want to be around someone like you!"

"Fine! I'll go back to your precious Zelda and you can be rid of me at last!"

"FINE!"

The pair looked at each other in silence before returning to the castle; Link hauling the unconscious guard over his shoulder and Sheik allowing himself to be led.  
Both determined to not speak to the other until they reached their destination.

* * *

A/N: uh-oh, not a good start for Sheik and Link! And the creature has a pop at our favourite sheikah! I love him though, even if he is a meanie ;P  
This is 1000 words longer (an extra 5 pages!) than normal to make up for chapter 3's shortness and lateness, hopefully the quality has not been compromised! To those of you who have actually read this far, thank you very much! For some reason this chapter feels like a landmark. The characters all know each other vaguely, and most of the exposition is gone – just one last bit next chappy and it's adventure all the way babeh! Dennik interests me too, I have no idea what he'll do next which makes me want to use him more! Tune in next time, and remember to review!!!


	5. Chapter 5: suggestion

**Origins: Chapter 5**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: I wrote this... at half four in the morning. Why? WHY DID I DO THAT!?!?!? I'm in Manchester all day tomorrow, a six hour car ride there and back – I'll write as much as humanly possible in that time. I'm off to visit my terminally ill nana so writing may be a little slow. Anyway, this chapter just didn't flow right for me, it seemed stodgy when I wrote it – especially the beginning so apologies for that, I tried to make it up to you all with the content. A fair amount happens! Enjoy ;)

Massive thank you to Edward Houshi for salvaging this chapter

WARNINGS: sexual suggestions, and more creature (it deserves a warning of its own now!)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

* * *

Zelda sighed despairingly at the two men in front of her; neither having spoken to the other since their return almost two hours ago.  
The early evening sky had deepened into a stormy obsidian shroud, penetrated by only the luminous stars and the occasional bolt of lightning.  
Both of the warriors were drenched to the bone due to the badly timed rainstorm during their trek back, which had dampened their already sodden moods.

The guard had been locked in the dungeons upon their arrival as soon as the pair arrived.  
Much to the Sheikahs chagrin, the now incarcerated man had not regained consciousness; he had sorely wanted an explanation for the night's events.

The trio were now huddled before a roaring fire in Zelda's quarters, the stubborn males perched on either side of the princess, discussing her recent political upheaval.

"They can't just- just- chuck you out!" Link exclaimed in disbelief.  
"It is no use, Link..." Zelda muttered, blue eyes softening "The whole affair was perfectly legal, my only options are to either leave voluntarily or be thrown from my own home."

Sheik too was unhappy with the situation.  
A disgrace to the royal family his ancestors had died protecting was unacceptable; he was tempted to hold his tongue rather than agree with Link, still somewhat resenting the man, but he soon decided that Zelda's needs were more important than his own pride at that moment.

"Princess, maybe it's more prudent to focus on using the situation to our advantage. We could use this as a blessing in disguise."

Zelda smiled, relieved that Sheik was no longer hostile towards them since he had accepted his situation.  
His time outside of the castle seemed to have partially subdued him.  
It would take time for them to adjust to each other, but the princess was glad they were taking tentative steps in the right direction.

"Thank you Sheik, you're right," She said, glowing, "we should look upon this as an opportunity!  
At least now I am free to leave the castle and do as I please.  
In fact, I have arranged a public resignation tomorrow morning; if I am to go then it shall be on my own terms, and I certainly shall not waste time by lingering here!"

The Sheikah nodded in agreement, recognising it as the most productive decision she could have made given the circumstances.

"Oh, and Sheik," she continued as an afterthought, "please call me Zelda; Strictly speaking I am no longer royalty."

Sheik stiffened, feeling awkward at the request  
"I'm afraid that I can't do that, princess. You may not possess your former control over Hyrule, but you cannot change your blood and birthright any more than I can change mine."

Zelda's smile dimmed noticeably, but there was comprehension in her eyes for which the Sheikah was grateful.

Link, being much more expressive in his consternation, fussed around the princess in a futile search for a loophole until Sheik let out sigh of exasperation.  
The hero turned to the Sheikah; eyes alight with aggravation,  
"What now! What have I done this time?"

Sheiks eyes narrowed, "You're flapping around like a demented cuckoo, that's what. There's nothing we can do – accept it."  
"Who are you to decide that! We can't just sit here and -"

"That's enough," Zelda pleaded over the rising voices, "Both of you!"  
The tempestuous boys grudgingly complied, sending one last glare at each other.  
The concerned princess studied the pair, noting Links defensiveness and Sheik's enhanced aggression, before asking the question Sheik had been dreading,  
"What happened between you two? Did you have another fight?"

"In a way, you see when I was out looking for him-"  
"The man who is being kept in the cells tried to rob me although he knew who I was- he called me by my name." Sheik explained, interrupting a disbelieving Link,  
"He managed to knock me down so Hero here decided to stick his nose in. Long story short, we ended up arguing about it."

Link frowned at the Sheikah, puzzled about why he would lie.  
The hero was certain that stealing from Sheik was not what the guard had attempted to do; he had _seen_ that trailing hand.  
Moreover, he had seen Sheik's face when it had happened, heard his whimpering cries...  
It made his blood boil just thinking about it.  
He couldn't understand why the other boy was omitting crucial details, and the hero wasn't inclined to trust the Sheikah.  
What did they know about him after all?  
They bring him back from the dead and just assume that he's on their side?  
Links looked at the other boy in suspicion; he would defiantly have words with Zelda about him later.

Zelda nodded slowly, accepting Sheik's account of what happened but reserving her suspicions.  
She too was unconvinced by the teen's clipped version of events, and resolved to ask Link about it later.

"Ordinarily I would have used a spell to escape, but for some reason my heart stated burning and I couldn't build up enough magic energy."  
He said, hoping for an answer to this particular worry.

The Sheikah relied on several magical skills for transportation and certain attacks. It would be a huge blow if he were unable to utilise some of his best abilities.

Zelda frowned again, making Sheik muse over whether or not she would end up with premature wrinkles.

"Please may I take a look at your chest? Perhaps I can identify the problem."

Sheik obliged, rolling down his tight exoskeleton and deliberately not looking at Link who had turned away.  
The hero found himself staring holes into the wall directly in front of him, flushing at the thought of the Sheikahs naked flesh being slowly unveiled.  
That creamy, even tan that he had explored earlier that same day suddenly seemed private – as if he would be condemned if he allowed himself to look.

The princess knelt down in front of him and examined his chest.  
He shivered at the touch of Zelda's cool hand on his bicep and felt her spiritual energy flow into his, gently probing for anything out of the ordinary.

The Sheikah looked down to where she was tracing her fingers.  
A large black Sheikan symbol, 'the all-seeing eye' was embossed onto his skin.  
He shifted uncomfortably, certain that it had not been there before his death.

Link rocked nervously on his heels.  
He wanted to turn around and see what was going on.  
Yet at the same time he felt frozen on the spot; Sheik was exposed behind him, just how far had the other boy pulled down his outfit anyway?  
Link took a calming deep breath.  
What was he worried about?  
Sheik was a man like himself, surely there was nothing there that he hadn't seen before.  
It was just skin. He didn't even like the man so why was he shying away?

Making up his mind, Link turned around determinedly and crouched down by Zelda's side.  
He tried hard to focus on the engraved symbol and not on the bronze skin presented to him, although it proved too difficult.  
The hero simply couldn't prevent his eyes exploring that expanse of deep caramel any more then he could prevent the pleasurable tingles from shooting up his spine.

"It appears that there is some kind of limitation on how much magic energy your body can gather." Zelda announced, drawing away from the Sheikah,  
"Whereas your body was accustomed to being able to draw on as much spirit energy as it needed, you are now expending a large amount of power continuously to bind your soul to the clay body via this conduit in your chest."

Sheik blinked questioningly at the mention of a clay body, but pushed it away in favour of hearing an explanation at last.  
"You now have a limit on how much spirit energy you can use at once, which is what the conduit supervises.  
That is not to say that your former abilities are out of bounds, you just need to use them less and make them less potent."

Sheik sighed in relief, glad that he had not lost his skills for good,  
"Is it possible to override the conduit? In case I needed a more powerful spell?"

Zelda lowered her gaze sadly,  
"It is not impossible, but if you were to use too much magic energy, the conduit would not have enough to maintain your soul."  
The two boys looked at the princess, having caught on to the connotations of her words,  
"The connection between soul and body would be broken and you would return to clay."

"Couldn't we just bring him back again? Just resurrect him again?" Link questioned much to Sheik's surprise.  
Link was also in shock about how distressed the news had made him.  
How easy was it for Sheik to surpass his limits?  
How close had Sheik come to breaking the bond between body and spirit during his assault?  
He may not get along with the sheikah but he certainly didn't want him to die.

Zelda shook her head in dismay,  
"There is only so much strain a soul can take. We would run the risk having the soul needing more magic to root itself then we can give, worst case scenario: his soul could be torn apart in the process."

It didn't seem possible to Sheik that his soul could be destroyed, but he knew better then to doubt Zelda – in any manifestation.

"Princess, when you say 'clay body' you're not talking literally right?"  
Sheik asked intent on changing the subject – soul destruction wasn't a topic he was keen on discussing at the moment.

"Actually Sheik,"  
Zelda replied, also wanting to change the topic of conversation,  
"I managed to procure a rare type of clay which is especially receptive to spiritual manipulation.  
Through it, your soul has a vessel to attach itself to and mould it into a familiar form.  
However, the soul needs something to direct it through the realm of the dead to the clay which is where this mark on your chest – the soul conduit, comes into effect."

Sheik nodded in weary understanding.  
It was unusual to say the least, but it was also oddly plausible.

Link, having heard all of this before yawned loudly.  
"Perhaps it is getting a little late." The princess said with a twinkling smile, amused by her friend.  
Sheik nodded in agreement; he wanted nothing more than to have some time to himself and mull over the day's events.

Zelda had had individual rooms prepared for the warriors near to her own.  
Link had stayed there several times before and had come to think of it as his own, it saddened him to know that once his friend announced her abdication he may never return here.

Once the boys had bade the princess good night, they walked the distance to their adjacent rooms in awkward silence.  
Sheik cast a fugitive glance at the taller man, wanting to wish him a good night but stubbornly refusing to talk to the green clad hero more than necessary.  
He couldn't help but note once again how similar Link and hero looked.  
The Sheikah felt his heart clench.  
Unable to bear looking at the other man any longer, Sheik retired to his chamber.

Once inside his room, Link couldn't help but look at the wall that separated him from the Sheikah.  
He had caught the withering look that Sheik had sent him moments before and he hadn't liked it one bit.  
He had looked... sad and vulnerable.

He sighed and mentally slapped himself.  
The Sheikah was untrustworthy; he shouldn't be worrying after him.  
Barely thinking, Link laid his palm flat against the wall that separated the two boys, lost in thought and completely unaware that Sheik was doing the exact same thing.

* * *

"It is with both great sorrow and great hope that I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, hereby entrust the future of our fair land to a man I am certain you will deem admirable, noble, and more than worthy of ushering in a new era of Hyrule's history. Sir Dennik has pledged eternal service to this land and its citizens; I have no doubt in my mind that he is the perfect candidate to lead you where the monarchy cannot.  
He shall lead you with passion, conviction, and a tireless determination into a much needed revolution."

Zelda paused in her speech, feeling sick with herself for spouting such lies to her people.  
She knew that Dennik would twist and distort her kingdom into something unrecognisable in her absence. She could see it in his eyes – an unbridled lust for power and control that would run Hyrule into the ground.  
What kind of ruler would she be if she let that happen?  
Zelda pledged to herself that she would not let such a detestable man destroy everything her ancestors had worked for!

Even if she had to surrender everything she had ever known in the process.

"May the Goddesses smile upon us all and give us their blessing for a bright future!"  
The crowd applauded the conclusion of their princess's speech before turning to each other in amazement.  
A majority of the public were chattering in dismay at the loss of their beloved monarch, whereas several were cheering at the thought of an elected ruler – something previously unheard of.

Secretly, Zelda had hoped more of them would be outraged at her leaving, that they would protest and demand for her to be reinstated.  
Just this once, she wanted something for herself.  
She wanted to stay.

The new ruler himself nodded his head at the ex-princess, smirking in his usual smug way before taking the podium for his acceptance speech.  
They were situated on a low balcony of Hyrule castle that overlooked the path leading to the market square.  
Hundreds of citizens had gathered to hear her pre-announced speech, almost every citizen of castle town had tuned up, young and old to hear her official resignation.

Sheik and Link however were not a part of that crowd.  
On Zelda's orders, they had gone to introduce the Sheikah to the old twilit resistance group headed by Telma.  
They had been a great help gathering information during the secret war two years prior and would hopefully be just as helpful this time around.  
Shad in particular was surely eager to meet the Sheikah in person.

Dennik finished his speech with a flourish and was rewarded with a round of applause.  
His charisma surely was a force to be reckoned with.  
The dark haired man bowed to her respectfully before leading her inside the castle by encircling her arm with his own.  
She desperately wanted to shake it off, but maintained her composure.

"I should tell you how much I wish it hadn't come to this, Zelda,"  
Dennik said with sympathy, directing her down the corridors of her now former home,  
"You ought to know that everything I do, I do for the good of the Hyrule."

_Liar!_ Zelda spat in her head, appalled at his self righteousness.

"You should also know that I care for Hyrules citizens, all of them. That includes you, _your highness_."  
He laughed good-naturedly, as though he had made a joke, still leading the princess through the castles halls and passages, even up a flight of stairs.  
He seemed to move with a destination in mind, his wiry body walking with purpose.

"I would hate to see you thrown out on the streets, a penniless has-been. So, being the generous man that I am, I laid awake all last night, wracking my brains for a solution.  
You see, everything in this world has a price, even people.  
You would be surprised at what people are willing to do for a reward.  
This got me thinking... what is you price, Zelda?"

The new ruler of Hyrule stopped them both in their tracks, apparently having reached his target.  
The princess had been listening so intently to Dennik that she had barely taken notice that they had stopped just short of her bedchamber.

"I have it in my power to give it to you now just name your price. I could give you your home back, all you have to do is ask."

Dennik unhooked his arm from hers, instead snaking it around her waist and leaning in to whisper into her elegantly pointed ear,  
"Just remember that I also have a price. Call it give and take – I do something for you, and you do... _something_... for me..."

Zelda pushed the man away in disgust.  
Realisation having set in, she finally took note of where she was.  
She was astounded by the man's audacity: propositioning her in front of her own chamber!  
Dennik was still smirking infuriatingly.

"Just who do you think you are talking to?!"  
Zelda fumed, revolted at his suggestions,  
"Did you honestly think that anything you could offer me would be acceptable enough for me to sacrifice my pride? My self-respect?"  
The normally reserved princess was breathing heavy with rage, encouraged by the dark-haired man's ever present grin.

"You may reject me now Zelda, but before this is over I shall have you begging for –"  
Dennik was interrupted by a harsh sounding slap across his face.  
The princess, it seemed, had had enough.  
She had astounded herself by physically attacking the man, even with provocation, as violence was something she rarely resorted to.

The smile had vanished from Dennik's face.

The man lunged towards the princess, hands wrapped warningly around her pale throat and pressing her against the stone wall,  
"Wench! You dare raise your hand to me?!"  
Zelda gasped for air, lungs burning and eyes watering.  
Terror churned in the pit of her stomach; she could feel every muscle in the man's hands twitching around her windpipe.

She knew that she was capable of looking after herself, her magical abilities were second to none but the sudden attack had taken her completely by surprise.  
The princess could feel her limbs turning to lead.  
She could barely breathe, let alone summon enough magic to cast a defensive spell.

Suddenly, a needle was flung deep into the wooden doorframe next to her head with a soft _'thump'_, drawing Dennik's attention.  
A green blur flashed across her vision and she hit the floor, coughing at the flood of oxygen.

When everything came back into focus, Link had the dark man at sword point and Sheik was gently lifting her up.  
The look in both of their eyes both alarmed and calmed her; knowing that she was safe, but taken aback by their ferocity.  
Wrath and ire incarnate.

Dennik took a half step back, acknowledging his defeat before turning to the fearful princess,  
"I want you out of my castle by tonight!"  
He stormed away, leaving the trio to glare at his back.

* * *

"Please! Please, I'm innocent! I can't remember attacking anyone!"

Sheik frowned at the pleading man in the cells.

After Zelda had calmed herself, Sheik insisted that they visit the guard who had assaulted him the night before, desperate to know how he had known Sheik's identity.

Sheik was puzzled.

Gone was the strong, sadistic man of the night prior; in his place was a weeping, pathetic man who had no recollection of anything.

What could have caused such a drastic change in the man overnight?

It was almost as if they were separate people!

Link was resting on the cell wall, not wanting to get any closer to the pitiful man in case he lost his temper again.

He couldn't bear to look at the wounds that his own two hands had inflicted.

The guard had a broken nose and a swollen lip which muffled and lisped his words when he spoke as well as extensive bruises around his face and chest.

"I b-beg of you! I dunno h-how I got there! W-why don't you believe me?"

The man said breaking down into desperate sobs.

Zelda looked around at the Sheikah standing a cautious distance away and gave him an odd look,

"I see no deception in his eyes, Sheik. Nor can I sense any magical presence."

Zelda believed the man, and to tell the truth, Sheik would have too if he hadn't witnessed it firsthand.

"That's defiantly him princess," he reasoned, "although there's been such a drastic change in character between now and last night."

The princess furrowed her brow in thought,

"Was there anything out of the ordinary? Anything you noticed?"

"I didn't see much of anything really." Link explained with a shrug, a little left out of proceedings.

Sheik however stayed silent.

Should he mention it? That black mist that had trailed out of the man couldn't have been a trick, it had defiantly been there.

"I think I saw something, although I can't be sure." Link looked at him questioningly, not having heard mention of this before.

Zelda nodded, a cue for him to continue.

"It was a black mist. It was escaping from his face, I'm certain. I lost sight of it though, in the darkness."

The princess looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking,

"I have never heard of a 'black mist' before. We should take advantage of the royal library while we can."

Link groaned, having never experienced the joy of books.

He could read, Rusl had made sure of it, but it was never something he had gotten much enjoyment out of.

"I am afraid that even if this man is innocent I no longer possess the power to free him." Zelda murmured regretfully as the guard reached through his cells bars to grasp at her dress, begging her for mercy.

"I may just go and pack some supplies." Link sighed, wanting to stretch his legs. He was unaccustomed to spending so long indoors and it was gating on him.

Zelda gave him her leave and he hurried off.

Sheik watched him go a little sadly; he rather liked having somebody around that he could tease, even if it was Hero.

The princess turned to Sheik smiling,

"Well now that he has left I had thought that you might like to read about some things that had happened after your death."

Sheik returned the smile gratefully, and although she couldn't see it, the princess knew he appreciated it.

The pair left the dungeons and ascended the winding staircase to the great library talking about the events after the Sheikahs death, but there was one question that had been eating away at the blond teen:

"What happened to the Zelda of my time? Did she survive the attack that killed me?"

"I am assuming that you mean the first princess Zelda, the namesake of every female member of the royal family."

Sheik felt a sense of pride well up within him that his almost sister had been such a powerful figure, transcending history.

"She lived until she was nineteen, only having ruled for four years."

Sheik stopped in his tracks.

She had been so young! His sacrifice had only bought her an additional three years of life?

"How did... how did she die?"

Zelda had picked up on his sadness and put a comforting arm around his shoulder, letting him grieve before continuing onto the library.

"She had gone to sign a peace treaty with a neighbouring country called Sueran in person as a show of good faith. However, on her way there she was attacked.

One of the princess's close friends had gone with her, and saved her life by defeating the assassins. When they were found, her friend had frozen to death wrapped around her. He had saved her life by protecting her against the cold. She had already regained consciousness when the rescuers found her, having lain underneath her deceased friend's body for an unknown amount of time.

The trauma of it must have been unbearable."

Sheiks body shook with suppressed tears for his sworn sister.

Zelda gave him time to process the new information while they walked into the library and sat down at a private table.

"Hyrule accused Sueran of attempting to assassinate their princess, and hostilities between the two nations erupted.

Eventually it became an all out war resulting in the deaths of many people; one of the main Hylian villages, Kakariko was wiped out by the enemy forces - it was only rebuilt two decades later as an almost deserted transit war became known as 'the forging war' because it literally reshaped Hyrules geography.

Even now relations with Sueran are stained.

The Sueran enemy are said to have used an unknown tribe of grey skinned monsters as allies in the war.

They are what I believe we are facing today."

Sheik composed himself, knowing that he had to give his full attention to the information and resisting the urge to balk when he heard of the destruction of Kakariko, the village Impa herself had founded.

"Meanwhile, the now queen Zelda had slipped into a deep despair, blaming herself for being unable to stop the conflicts and her friends' death."

The princess paused, reluctant to divulge the last piece of information.

"After a tentative peace treaty had been signed, the queen took her own life."

Sheik said nothing, silent in his mourning and speechless at the effect the circumstances of his death had had on history.

"Forgive my asking Princess, but how old are you?"

Sheik asked changing the subject.

The princess gave him a blithe smile,

"I entered my twenty first year last month, and yourself?."

"As of five centuries ago, seventeen."

Zelda blinked astounded, she had not expected him to be so young, although the sheikah was the same age Link had been during the twilit war.

Sheiks eyes dimmed in sadness,

_So this is what Zelda would have looked like had she been able to live longer..._

"Listen Sheik," Zelda said to the melancholy teen, "She was a truly great woman who made her mark in history.

Under her rule Hyrule may have experienced war, but she is also remembered for the joy and revolution she brought; Treasure the time that you had with her and do not waste time wishing."

The sheikah nodded dumbly at the woman who was a spitting image of his best friend.

He knew she was right as usual, and his grief was a few centuries too late, but dammit he needed to vent his frustration!

He somehow wished that Link was there with them so that he could pick a fight and loose his sadness in anger.

He sighed to himself.

Since the hero was off wagging his tail at something else, he would have to make do by answering some of Zelda's silent questions.

"I was Zelda's friend, the one who died on that peace treaty mission."

The princess nodded, having guessed as much from his reactions.

"I don't know anything about the grey assassins that you speak of, but I think I fought them. They came out of nowhere and fought with claws and teeth, although they looked human. When they died, they turned into a horrible gritty ash."

Zelda nodded keenly, relieved that Sheik had at least fought the monsters before.

"Honestly though princess," the sheikah remarked, "I can't tell you anything useful, I don't know anything else about them."

"Oh, but_ I _do!"

A disembodied voice reverberated throughout the air startling the princess and Sheikah, accompanied by a low laugh.

Something clicked in Sheiks head.

That smooth baritone was all too familiar!  
Its unnatural resonance was setting off alarm bells in his head.

It was him! The man from the previous night!

Zelda leaned in closer to him, confused by this sudden turn of events.

Sheik looked about him, getting into a defensive position.

Had he escaped from the cells? If so then where was he?

"Aww, and here I thought you'd be happy to see me, love!"

"Where are you!" Sheik shouted, unwilling to be caught unawares a second time.

Zelda was pawing at his arm and asking him what was going on, but he didn't listen; the man was hiding somewhere, and he was a danger to both him and Zelda.

"Where am I? Even I wonder that sometimes, love. I am between everything; Good and evil, love and hate, light and dark... I am the shadow of life itself!"

"Stop speaking in riddles and show yourself!" Sheik hissed, swerving around in a futile attempt to locate the source of the voice.

"If my pet so wishes! But first, I have a request for the little princess cowering behind you."

Zelda straightened her back, caught off guard by being addressed and insulted at the same time.

The Sheikah's eyes narrowed.

If that man put even a finger against Zelda then the goddesses themselves would be unable to stop his revenge!

"What is it?" Zelda asked, voice trembling slightly. Sheik could tell that the disjointed sound unnerved her just as much as it did him.

"I have information on your enemy. Information that could give you a much needed advantage, but in return I want something."

Zelda peered around awkwardly, unaccustomed to not seeing the person she was talking to.

"What is it that you want...?"

She was dubious, and rightfully so, as neither warrior nor princess knew what the voice would do with whatever it asked.

"I've grown tired of possessing other bodies. I would like a clay form of my own."

In a split second, Sheik understood.

This voice had merely taken control of the guard to attack Sheik; right now an innocent man was rotting in jail...

Zelda had also caught on, but was more interested in another detail,

"What do you mean by a 'form of my own'?"

This time when the voice sounded, it came very obviously from behind them where a mass of black mist was swirling around the duo.

"...Why not take a look for yourselves?"

Zelda gave an audible gasp as the dark fog gathered until it became almost opaque figure.

He, for it was definably male, had dazzling white hair which hung down to his pointed chin.

His clothes were completely black in sharp contrast with glowing red eyes, and he stood a little higher than Sheik.

Although there were differences, his face was near identical to -

"Hero?"

* * *

A/N: LE GASP!!! ISN'T DENNIK A STINKER! I never actually meant for that whole 'SMEX ME UP, ZELLY!' scene to happen, once again, he kidnapped the keyboard. And Sheik and Link have that innate attraction to each other although neither of them realise it ;) I called this fic 'suggestion' because it seemed quite apt: there are suggestions of a closer relationship between Sheik and Link, there's Dennik's suggestion to Zelda, and there's an answer to the suggestion of the creature's identity. Haha, three in one! Just to clarify, I've made Zelda 21, Link 19, and Sheik 17. Not sure why, it just turned out that way. Dennik would be in his... thirties maybe? I'd best get some sleep and dream up some more ideas – it just never stops...


	6. Chapter 6: opposition

**Origins: Chapter 6**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: Another late night :( Must... not... fall... asleep....!!! I've crammed a fair amount in again, I'll try spacing it out more for the next chapter. I have a bit that I really want to get to write so I'm powering through! Zooooooooooooooooooooom!!!

WARNINGS: I think there's a bit of language, can't remember. Creature again, but only mild creature antics for once.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

* * *

Sheik looked at the hero's carbon copy in disbelief.

He wasn't Link, that much was certain, but he looked so similar to the blonde warrior...  
His face and eyes were a little sharper than Links and he looked as though all colour had bleached out of him, but the glaring resemblance was unmistakeable.

"You look surprised, Sheik. It's me, Link!"

The Sheikah shook his head in abject refusal.  
Right in front of him was a second person bearing Link's face, would it ever end?  
What perverse being was putting him though such pain and why?  
"If that form is meant to fool us then it's a pitiful attempt!"

Instead of dropping her guard at the familiar man Zelda had tensed further, running through a list of what the man could be.  
Perhaps he was an illusion sent to confuse them; but Sheik would have seen through it with his powerful eyes...  
Maybe he was a shifter - A creature able to change its features to deceive and trick its victims.  
But shifters were just as mortal as she herself was, how could one recognise Sheik who had died five centuries prior?

"Now, now, love," The faux hero whined, walking slowly around the princess and warrior who turned suspiciously with him, reluctant to leave their backs unguarded,  
"Why would I want to fool you? I'm offering you the deal of a lifetime.  
I have information that could win this new war and all I am asking is one measly body!"

Sheik snorted, hazarding a guess at what the powerful being could do with a physical body.  
The princess was thinking along the same lines, not to mention that they didn't even know if the man had the information they needed.

"Tell us what you know, and then we will consider getting you a body of your own." Zelda bartered hopefully.  
The creature laughed an unnatural trill with a cynical quality to it.  
It was a cold and piercing sound that made him uncomfortable, resurrecting unwanted memories.

"If you keep me waiting on this deal I may just up the stakes and ask for the Sheikah's body too!"  
Sheik recoiled slightly at the heartily seductive tone, disgusted but safe in the knowledge that Zelda would never agree to such a bargain.

Zelda straightened her back, raising herself to her full height.  
She had grown fond of the Sheikah during their short time together and felt quite protective of him.  
Such an inappropriate comment directed towards the young man instantly put her on the offensive.

"Before we even contemplate your deal," The flaxen hair teen asked in his most confident voice, "we want to know who you are and what you want with a body – no tricks this time!"  
Zelda voiced her agreement, eyeing the shadowy man darkly.

The creature's ruby eyes glinted, in excitement and allowed his body to diffuse into that mysterious black fog.  
The pair watched the mist cautiously, waiting for any unexpected movement.

Suddenly, the mist shot towards them in a flurry.  
Zelda yelped and allowed Sheik to draw her protectively into his strong arms as they were flooded by the dark matter.  
Sheik resisted the urge to close his eyes.  
He felt suddenly cold, as though he were back on the snowy summit he had died on.  
The mist rather then colliding with them, had passed straight through and reformed fluently behind their backs.

"Did I scare you pet? I just want to be close to you, to worship you with my body, but you seem intent on keeping me at an arm's length!"

The pale man wrapped his muscular arms around the Sheikah's shoulders in a backwards embrace.  
Sheik instantly went to push the unwelcome limbs away, only half shocked when the limbs dissolved into smoke when he touched them.  
The duo retreated a few steps as the creature reformed.

"As a mere shadow of life, I have no sway over the physical world – I cannot even hold you, my love, unless I possess a human for a short time.  
I'm tired of just being background noise in Hyrules history.  
As to what I am,"

The hero's parallel chuckled,

"As I said before, I am a being trapped between reality and illusion.  
I seek solidity and certainty, even at the cost of my immortality."

Zelda blanched.  
An immortal being was something she had never come across, least of all one that would desire to become mortal.

"I was crafted specifically to resemble the hero of time, it was necessary for me to exist as the dark side to the hero's light – the sacrifice needed to purge the hero of sin.  
After all, for a force of extreme purity to exist, it must be free from the darker side of human nature.  
Thus I was born as the epitome of human offence."

The creature chuckled,  
"Although we may look similar, I'm sure you've noticed that I'm much more handsome!"

Sheik frowned at the mention of Link, reluctantly accepting that the being before him was a both a separate being and part of the hero at once.  
The idea was strange, but no less acceptable than anything else he had encountered since he had been revived.

"Is that how you know me? You recognised me through Link?"  
Sheik questioned, annoyed that the times he had shared with Link had been little more than a show to this third party.  
Somehow those precious times felt sullied in retrospect.  
His life had been nothing more than a deranged creatures' peepshow!

"Not quite! You see, Ganondorf found my wandering spirit and nurtured me until I was strong enough to live independently.  
He even created a room where I could become physical.  
I was so grateful to him that I didn't even realise that I was being used, imprisoned in that same room I had seen as a blessing.  
It had been cold and empty in there, en endless expanse of water split only by a long dead tree."

The creature's voice quivered slightly, surprising Sheik a little. It made the man seem strangely... human.  
He had to remind himself that this thing was untrustworthy.

"How did you escape?" Zelda asked shrewdly, although her eyes had softened partway through his story.  
She was too kind despite her wisdom, and Sheik knew that it would be her downfall one day.

He didn't know if he could stand another Zelda's death...

"Ganondorf's plans had been foiled before they even began."  
The creature explained, indicating for them to take a seat.  
Zelda accepted graciously.  
Sheik stood firm, too wary of the other man and determined to protect his princess.

"On the night he was to storm the castle, the army was ready for him.  
A young boy claiming that he was the hero of time had warned them of the Gerudo kings' plotting and the man was arrested promptly.  
Now this left me in somewhat of a predicament, you see?  
I was trapped in the bottom of a temple, waiting for the promised hero of time for several years.  
When someone finally entered my room, it was not the hero as I had expected.  
Do you remember now, love?"

The Sheikah's eyes widened in recollection; when he had been younger he had explored the temples that Link had spoken of, enthralled by his stories of an alternate timeline where they had fought evil together.  
Back then, he had followed Link around like a spellbound puppy – secretly of course, his Sheikah pride wouldn't allow him to be seen in such awe of another boy.

Looking back, Sheik had been in love even then.

He had gone in search of the temples the young hero had spoken of, feeling closer to Link by experiencing them.  
That's when he had found it.  
He had seen that desolate room with only a rotting tree in the middle.  
It was cold,  
Empty,  
Foreboding,  
...And strangely beautiful.

Had that really been the creatures' prison?

"I... Let you out of that room?"

The black clad man nodded in approval,  
"I'm eternally grateful for it, pet.  
I simply diffused and hid in your shadow, and when you left you carried me with you.  
Think of me as an affectionate parasite."  
The creature bared pearly teeth, glinting in the soft afternoon light.

"Over the years I watched you, desired to meet you; my doppelganger was cruel without his knowing it by trampling on your feelings, but I was determined to love you ten times more than he ever could.  
Of course you were mortal, and died. I was alone again."

The Sheikah felt a chill run up his spine, the words were soft – loving even, but the man's voice and mannerisms repelled him.  
He felt a little violated that the creature had been stalking him for years, watching him...

"And so, when I sensed you spirit return to the land of the living I couldn't resist saying hello.  
This time, I won't just let you go, love."

The creature finished his explanation with a manic glint in his eye.  
Zelda looked sympathetic to his story, but still understandably disturbed by his pet name for the Sheikah.

If Zelda deemed the information worth trusting the crazed being then Sheik knew that she was probably right, even though she would probably change her opinion if she knew about his attempted rape...  
He certainly hadn't forgotten about that, and he still had his doubts about the pale man but he had faith in the princess's judgement.

"Sheik, will you be alright here while I summon Shad?"  
Zelda asked, her big blue eyes making it impossible to refuse.

The Sheikah couldn't help but think they were making a huge mistake.

* * *

Link swilled down his third glass of Chateau Romani with a melodramatic gasp.  
"He's just so bloody annoying! All he does is try and pick fights with me!"  
Telma looked at him amused, it was rare to see the hero so wound up over anything.  
It made her glad that the young man had found something to be passionate over, even if it was in the form of ranting over another young man.  
He hadn't been so lively since the twilit war.

"Really?" She remarked, concealing a hearty laugh, "He seemed like quite the gentleman when I met him earlier, hun!"  
The hero choked a little on his drink, spluttering and making the dark skinned barmaid laugh.  
"Believe me Telma, he's been nothing but trouble since the moment he arrived!"

"Hunny, you've done nothing but bitch about the poor lad since you got here. Anyone'd believe you had a crush!" The redhead teased, half serious making the hero cough erratically.

Link talked about Sheik, true. Only because the boy had gotten him really wound up!  
Link was constantly watching the other boy, out of suspicion only of course!  
Link was always thinking about him, but that was only because the Sheikah was so irritating!

He couldn't possibly... _like_ the other boy!

The hero looked gloomily at his empty glass.  
He still hadn't talked to Zelda about what had really happened while the Sheikah had left the castle and it was beginning to eat at him.  
Sheik had lied, fought, and made snide remarks ever since he had been revived.

"Link hunny, maybe you're not looking at this properly. The poor boy just found out he died and you're expecting him to just accept it and move on instantly?"

The hero pouted, knowing she was right.  
The Sheikah just got his blood boiling and roused feelings in him that, to be honest, scared him.  
He didn't understand the connection he felt to the other boy, and part of him didn't want to.  
The Sheikah had been nothing but rude to him where to others he had been polite and amiable.  
It upset him to see Sheik be so friendly to everyone but the hero himself, he hated being treated differently by anyone.  
It didn't even to occur to Link that he what he was feeling was jealousy.

That he _wanted_ the Sheikah to like him.

"You also need ta remember where he comes from.  
Little is known about the Sheikah tribe but fighting was their way of life – it's likely that it's the only way he knows how to respond."  
Almost as an afterthought she continued,  
"He needs time. I needed time to adjust when I moved to Hyrule, hun."

Link blinked at the busty woman, he had always thought she was of Hylian birth.  
Telma seemed to sense his question and tittered as she collected his empty glass and began washing it.

"I moved here from the Gerudo settlement in the desert province when I was sixteen.  
There aren't many of us Gerudo left now, most followed Ganondorf and were banished to twilight centuries ago.  
The remainder split off into two factions: the traditionalists who value the old ways of the sand goddess, and the modernists who strive for a new order.  
All of us were trained as ruthless fighters though, so we can certainly handle ourselves young man!"

The red-haired landlady flashed him her trademark auspicious wink; the hero somehow couldn't imagine Telma as a fierce warrior... although she was defiantly relentless in running her business.

He hadn't known that both she and Midna were descendants of the same tribe.  
The hero smiled sadly, it was nice to have a connection to the absent imp.  
He wondered vaguely how many Gerudo were left in the desert province; he hadn't seen anything other than Bulbins and sand in the desert during his quest.  
Were they a dying race also?  
Would Telma one day become the last of her kind, just like Sheik was?

What must it feel like, to be the last of your people?

One thing Link knew for sure, if Telma was like the rest of her race then they would certainly go out with a bang!

"Link old fellow!" called a voice from behind the Ordonian.  
He looked around to find Shad waving several scrolls around excitedly, glasses askew.  
He smiled at the scholar, humoured by his unusually haphazard appearance.

"Is it not wonderful? Now that the first resurrection had been approved as a success, her royal highness has asked me to assist in another!"

Link and Telma exchanged a glance, neither having known about a second rebirth.  
The hero knew that the princess would have at least discussed it with him; such an action was out of character for the mild mannered woman he knew.

"Shad, where is she?"

The excitable scholar nodded quickly,  
"I'll take you there, I just came to retrieve some more clay for the ritual."

Telma watched the two men hurry off, one very animated and the other vexed.  
She returned to her work, muttering under her breath about frivolous Hylians and wondering why she had ever wanted to leave the Gerudo camp as a headstrong teenager in the first place.

* * *

"Zelda, what the hell is this?!" Link demanded upon meeting his mirror image face to face for the first time.  
The albino creature simply yawned, nonplussed at the hero's presence and standing as close to Sheik as the younger teen would permit him.

This was certainly not what the Ordonian had expected when he had found Zelda and Sheik – in fact he had almost fallen backwards in shock.

"Link, please do not be alarmed!" Zelda jumped in, trying to reason with the bemused ranch hand,  
"He is an ally of ours, his name is..." She looked sheepishly at the transparent being who shuffled closer still to the annoyed Sheikah.

"Call me Shade, I guess." The creature replied sullenly when Sheik paced to the other side of the chamber, desperate to keep away from him.  
When the princess had left to find Shad, Shade had instantly taken to pawing at him and making lewd suggestions – as if attempted rape wasn't bad enough, the creature just wanted to add insult to injury!  
The Sheikah half wanted for the creature to gain a body just so he could give him a black eye.

"Mr Shade here has valuable information that he is willing to share with us in exchange for a body."  
Zelda explained, silently promising to explain everything to the hero the next time they were alone.  
Link looked back over at his mirror image, who had migrated to the exasperated Sheik's side once again.

There were too many mistrustful new faces for his liking.

He could have been looking himself hanging affectionately over the Sheikah they were that similar.  
His gut churned in distaste at the sight.  
If Shade was going to publically molest the warrior he could at least have the decency to not wear his face at the time.

He felt a flush of heat course through his veins, collecting in a very uncomfortable area.  
If he looked hard enough he could see himself in Shade's position; touching the Sheikah, holding the lithe boy in his arms, leaning in towards each other...

Sheik swatted the creature into his black mist form as a warning to which the reforming man simply chuckled, apparently enjoying himself.  
Link growled inwardly at the sight, his expressive eyes catching Shades attention,

"Heh, is the hero getting jealous? As if you could ever be competition for me, Sheiks choice was made centuries ago!"  
Links fingers twitched, not quite understanding what the transparent being was referring to but insulted nonetheless.

Something about his double got him angry in a different way than the Sheikah did, it was more of a churning, aggravated rage.  
Sheik swatted the creature again, this time aiming for his head.  
Truth be told, if he only imagined the creature's hair and eyes a different hue then he found that he didn't mind the attention so much.  
Only hated the fact that the ghosting touches were not coming from the one he really wanted them to come from...

"For the last time, I don't care who you are – I will not sleep with you, now or ever!"

Link recoiled; catching onto Shade's agenda.  
The creature thought he was competition for the Sheikah?  
Where on earth had he gotten that idea?  
Had he been talking to Telma or something?

He felt nothing for the Sheikah... although he couldn't ignore the sickly rage that bubbled in the pit of his stomach whenever his counterpart got too close the other teen...  
The hero could feel his face heating up against his will.

"W-why would you think I would want Sheik in... _that way_...?" Link questioned, his long ears turning red.

Shad and Zelda politely ignored the squabbling men and continued the preparations.

"It's only natural, he's perfect in every way, aren't you love?"  
Sheik grunted in passive resistance, fed up of scolding the paler man and getting nowhere.

Shade's red eyes glared into Links blue ones,  
"I don't care if you are the reincarnation of the man Sheik loved, I am a living part of him – you simply can't hope to top that."  
"That's enough!" the Sheikah snapped, thoroughly frustrated with the situation.  
He had most certainly not wanted that piece of information shared, especially with the hero.

For some reason, the thought of the Ordonian knowing of his feelings for his predecessor didn't sound pleasant.  
He didn't have anything to be embarrassed about, and he didn't have any reason to keep it a secret.  
Sheik knew this, but Hero mattered to him somehow.  
He cared about his opinion.

Link was taken aback.  
He was the reincarnation of the man Sheik had been in love with?  
It certainly explained how the warrior had recognised him when he had first awakened, and why the Sheikah had treated him with such hostility.  
It must be like a slap in the face for the younger teen every time they met.  
Link suddenly felt vey ashamed of himself for continually baiting the Sheikah.

"Mr Shade? Before we begin the ritual, could you tell us some of your information as a form of insurance?"  
Zelda asked from her spot at the head of the table, incidentally the same table Sheik had awoken on.  
Shade nodded his approval and glided away from Sheik, much to the teen's delight.

"No offense, pet. If I stay too close to you I'll get distracted." He winked seductively, making the Sheikah lean unconsciously closer to the once again fuming hero.

"As you know I've been around for far longer then you mortals can comprehend, so I have seen a lot of things."  
He began with his trademark smirk,  
"The most interesting of which was what I saw when I had left Sheiks shadow.  
After his death I followed his attackers through the mountains to their base in Sueran.  
It turned out that the forging war was not orchestrated by neither Sueran nor Hyrule, but by a rogue group of these creatures intent on sowing the seeds of chaos.  
Even now I don't know their purpose; they were very few and ended up dying out soon after.  
Someone only just resurrected them several months ago."

Sheik was appalled that he had been used as a pawn to spark such a violent war between the two once peaceful nations.  
His ancient blood was screaming for vengeance against the things that had led to both his demise and (through a knock on effect) Zelda's suicide.

"In the ancient language they are called 'Nosferatu' – meaning the plague.  
They're raised assassins with elongated fangs and nails to drain the blood of their opponents; equipped with formidable strength and speed alone.  
I'm afraid that's all you're getting until you fulfil our bargain."

Zelda nodded solemnly,  
"Of course, thank you for your assistance."  
The princess indicated for the creature to draw closer to the mess of clay on the table, Shade eagerly did as he was told.

"Since your spirit is a freethinking, permanent fixture of this world there is no need for a soul conduit."  
Zelda explained rereading the incantation in preparation.  
"Instead you should allow the clay to absorb you and use your will to mould it.  
Are you ready?"  
Shade nodded an affirmative, ruby eyes glowing.

Sheik wasn't so sure that what they were doing was wise.  
He didn't like the idea of relying on the creature for possibly inaccurate information; he could just be leading them into a trap.  
Another pressing concern for the Sheikah was what Shade would do once he had his body.  
Would he go on a rampage, killing them all?  
...Would he try to take Sheik again?

Zelda and Shad began their chant, allowing the ancient words to intertwine and overflow.  
Link listened carefully, hoping to hear that awe inspiring sound again – however, the incantation didn't sound anywhere near as beautiful as it had the first time round.

The chanting was higher, shrill, and unpleasant sounding compared to the dulcet tones that had accompanied the Sheikahs return.  
Sheik didn't look as if he was enjoying the sound either, his eyebrows knotting together in distaste.

Shade had diffused and was hovering over the pulsing clay.  
It was as if the muck was breathing heavy in excitement, gorging itself on the creatures' spirit.  
The dark mist was slowly being absorbed into the receptive clay like a porous sponge filling itself with water.

The ritual seemed to be taking a lot less time then Sheiks had, link mused as he watched the clay stretch itself into long limbs.  
Perhaps it was because Shade's spirit was already present.

Sheik himself was fascinated.  
This was what he had gone though?  
The clay was arching in every direction, stretching itself out before thinning into tendons and muscle.  
Skin wrapped itself around the developing extremities, so pale that there was barely any pigment visible.  
Snow white hairs spouted finely from the moulded head, falling lightly against themselves in a heap.  
Black fabric knitted itself around Shades form as his features defined themselves.  
Finally, red eyes fluttered open and the chanting stopped.

Shade breathed slowly in and out, revelling in the sensation of his breath.  
_His_ breath.  
He moved an arm, feeling the built muscles ripple at the action.  
_His_ muscles.  
Next came a leg bending at the knee, marvelling at the control he felt over his body.  
_His_ leg.

_His_ body.

He chuckled.  
Pleasurable tickles vibrated down his vocal chords, who knew noises were so fun to make!

No body he had ever taken control of had given him the sense of ownership like this one did.  
There had always been the original humans' consciousness at the back of his mind, but this was completely empty and every sense seemed sharp.  
Having developed almost total control over his body, the creature made his way over to Sheik who had been watching carefully.

_His_ Sheikah.

Gingerly, Shade wrapped his new arms around the alarmed Sheikah and breathed deeply,  
"You have no idea how good you smell, love!"  
He could easily loose himself in the younger mans welcoming heat and light scent.  
He would possess this man body, mind, and soul in time – he just had to be patient and wait for another chance.

He needed for the Sheikahs entourage to trust him enough to leave them alone together – that's when he would strike!

Sheik blushed at the comfortable warmth enveloping him, was this what it would have been like to have been held by Link...?  
Shade looked pretty much the same as he had when he was spirit alone, only much more solid.  
As if before, he had been seen through a pane of frosted glass – the similarities were even more apparent up close.

A pale hand reached up to Sheiks hair, entwining his fingers in the golden tresses.

Link's glare at his double increased tenfold.  
He had expected this behaviour from Shade but not from Sheik.  
Why wasn't the teen pushing the creature away like he had before?  
He didn't like the way that the newly created man was touching his fellow warrior – more fondling then touching!  
He felt that now familiar burn in his stomach telling him to put an end to this.

"If you two don't mind," the hero said through gritted teeth, "We need the remainder of his information. Unless you're planning on smooching all day."

Whilst Shade seriously looked like he wanted to 'smooch all day', Sheik realised that he hadn't pushed the other man away yet.  
He did so, glaring at the hero as if to say 'There! Happy now?'  
Hero allowed himself a small victory smile.

Shade sighed and returned to the table, unused to standing.  
"Fine, I'm more than satisfied with your side of the bargain.  
If you want any clues as to who the puppet master behind the Nosferatu is, then you'll have to travel to their base in Sueran."

"How are we meant to get there? Hyrule's surrounded by a near impenetrable ranges of mountains on all sides." Link stated, dislike for his double showing though his tone of voice.

"The only way is through the great desert," Zelda replied, "fly right over the mountains and cross the border there."

"There is a problem though," Shade cut in, obviously enjoying the attention he commanded "To pass the border you must travel through the haunted wasteland where even Sheikan eyes can be deceived if their possessors aren't careful."

'The haunted wasteland', now that was a familiar place.  
Sheik remembered crossing it and almost getting lost when he was younger, ending up back at the Gerudo fortress starting point.  
It wasn't a place he was keen to revisit.

"Sheik," Zelda asked, her face a picture of seriousness, "You will be alright to cross the wastes, but we will not fare so well. Is there a way for us all to get through?"

Sheik racked his brains for a solution – the giggling creature on the table clearly knew of a method but seemed to prefer watching the Sheikah struggle.

Damn sadist.

"There is a Sheikah crafted tool," Sheik said at last, "Called 'the lens of truth'. It allows the user to see the truth like a Sheikah at the cost of some magic power."  
He recalled Link telling him about it in kakariko, sunlight making his golden hair shine.

Link bounced excitedly on his heels.  
"So where is it?"  
He was eager to see more Sheikah artefacts, and the lure of seeing the truth was very tempting.

Sheik shook his head, he didn't know.  
Even if he did, how likely was it to have been moved over five centuries?

"The lens of truth has not moved from its original resting place," Shade revealed, smug as usual, "It is guarded at the bottom of an ancient well in what is now old kakariko."

Link couldn't remember seeing a well back in the hidden village, but it was worth a try.  
He could only hope that nothing too bad happened on their journey there.

* * *

A/N: Yeah! Chapter 6 done!!! Still no progress between Link and Sheik, but lots of animosity between Shade and Link. I wanted to make them all stop off in old kakariko because I want them to fight a particular monster that still gives me nightmares whenever I fight it. Urgh! If anyone can guess what it is then I'll... erm... dunno, I'll do something cool!  
I'm gonna be updating weekly soon, if I can write loads and put off my homework a little longer then I'll post two a week. I love Telma, I wish I'd given her a bigger role but I'm sure she'll crop up again at some point ;) 


	7. Chapter 7: fixation

**Origins: Chapter 7**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: Well, well, well! If you've read this far then I applaud you, this is the longest thing I have ever written... ever! I'm using the GameCube version of the map even though I have TP on the wii – it just looks better I think, and it fits better onto the OoT map. I'm actually so obsessed with getting this right, I timed how long it takes for the sun to set in TP and then timed Link walking to the hidden village to work out how long the trip would take.  
One day I shall get a life...

WARNINGS: violence, sexual suggestions and creature

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

* * *

"Remind me again why you're still here" Link grumbled at his double, who had been occupied for the last half hour by alternately pulling faces at the glum hero and spooning an equally disgruntled Sheikah.  
Zelda just smiled softly at the boy's antics.

The quartet was riding across northern Hyrule field at a leisurely pace.  
The journey to the hidden village was not a long one; it took only an hour or so. They would reach it long before midday.

Zelda and Link rode their own horses, unlike Sheik who had to borrow one from the stables.  
Shade, who had decided to tag along, stubbornly claimed that he had no experience riding a hose and would therefore need to ride with Sheik.

Neither the Sheikah nor the hero were at all happy with the arrangement.

Shade stuck his tongue out at the hero and snuggled closer to the smaller man's back.  
"As if I could ever leave my little Sheik alone again! Besides, you need me."  
The pale man's lips curled into a feral grin,  
"I'm the only one who knows where you need to go; you're lost without me!"

Sheiks clutch on his horse's reins tightened.  
This man, while identical to Link physically, couldn't be more different.  
Link had been full of laughter and sunlight.  
In comparison, the creature had a sarcastic tone to everything he said.  
And he seemed dark, sinister in his actions – no matter how jovial and loving his words sounded, there was a constant suggestion of something threatening and dangerous.

It both repelled and excited Sheik.

As much as he disliked the parody of the hero, he had a certain alluring quality to him.  
The creature's warm breath tickled the back of his neck, making his hair stand at attention.  
The slight thrust created by their shared horse's pace was creating a delicious friction between the riders.  
Sheik's body felt warm as he burned with shameful sensations.

"He is right, Link." The princess answered from atop her majestic stallion, "We cannot progress without his guidance."  
The hero could tell that she also wished that they could have left the man behind.  
They had given him all that he had asked for after all, what more could he want?

The answer was unfortunately obvious.

Even a passerby could see that the white haired being was lusting over Sheik, they would have to be blind not to.  
The way that Shade hung all over the younger warrior was proof enough even if he hadn't announced it publicly.

Zelda had kept one of her dresses on underneath her trusty Sheikan cloak, packing several pairs of leggings and comfortable boots for the road ahead.  
She also carried with her an elegant long sword and a bow, both of which she was well practised in.  
This had taken Sheik somewhat by surprise.  
_His_ Zelda hadn't learned how to fight, relying on her magical skills alone.  
It seemed there were some differences between them after all.

That wasn't to say that it was a bad change – the Sheikah felt more assured of her safety now that he knew she could wield a weapon.  
Nevertheless, it made him feel a slight twinge of guilt every time he found himself comparing them; they were separate people after all, not replicas.

Link hated being guided by his duplicate.  
To begin with, he was unaccustomed to travelling in a group since he was more of a lone wolf, especially with people he didn't trust.  
Sheik had been too busy fending off his admirers' lavish attention to fight much with Link, and although it was a blessing, the blonde hero couldn't help but feel a little left out...  
Maybe even a little lonely.  
His animosity towards Shade was growing with every sly touch to Sheiks body, although he couldn't for the life of him figure out why.  
Why should he care if the Sheikah had a love interest?  
What business was it of his if his fellow warrior and the creature developed a relationship?

Link shook his head at the thought.  
No way would the Sheikah reciprocate such feelings – he clearly hated the attention.  
It was completely one-sided and nothing would come of it.  
So why did it bother him so much?

_It's just because he looks like me._  
The hero reasoned,  
_It's just disturbing to see someone with my face flirting with Sheik...  
_  
Yeah, that sounded about right!  
He was just a little freaked out by the thought of being with the younger man.

The younger _man_.

Link frowned.  
He hadn't really taken notice of the Sheikahs gender before.  
Obviously he knew he was male but for some reason he hadn't taken it into account when he was put in a... sexual context.  
Did it bother him that Sheik was a man?  
Link knew about Sheiks feelings for his predecessor and about Shade's very strong feelings for the warrior so it must be normal right?  
It was alright to like another man?

Shade ran a pale hand across the Sheikahs stomach, chuckling at the tense muscles there.  
"Relax love, I lived in your shadow for years so it's not like I haven't seen you naked before...!"  
Sheik had been about to reprimand the taller man when a harsh squeeze to his backside made him yelp in alarm.

"Sheik, what is it?" Zelda cried worriedly, looking around her for any signs of an attack.  
Link also looked over, jolted out of his thoughts by the distressed teen.

"He groped me is what!" The Sheikah fumed angrily, "I don't care if we leave him behind, I'm not riding with him anymore!"

"Don't be like that, love!" Shade whined, knowing that he had pushed Sheik a little further then he had intended.  
He was just so cute when he was angry!

Zelda smiled mysteriously at her entourage, eyes twinkling,  
"I suppose your horse does look tired, how about Shade rides with Link for a while?"

Link looked as though he had been electrocuted,  
"But Zelda! Sheik's lighter than I am, Epona won't be able to carry all of our weight – He should stay with Sheik!"

The Sheikah glared, affronted.  
The hero could tell easily that the other man seriously did not want to share a horse with the creature – which made it all the more fun to tease him!  
"I suppose that he could always ride with me..."  
Zelda mused out loud, trying not to laugh at the collective and immediate 'NO!' from the two warriors.  
Link sighed labouredly, knowing he was beaten – Zelda was defiantly manipulative when she had to be.

Shade slid reluctantly from his position behind Sheik and clambered up behind the hero before the party continued their trek.

Link felt the warm, muscular body rocking behind his own.  
It felt nice, but not as good as he imagined it would feel with someone he was attracted to.  
Maybe if it wasn't Shade riding behind him but someone else...  
Would it be better if it was with Zelda?  
No, he had ridden with her before and felt nothing – she was his friend and nothing more.  
Then maybe Ilia?  
She was attractive, and when they had been young he expected that one day they would end up together.  
They hadn't gotten together though, once again she was a good friend and not someone he could see himself having feelings for.  
Any other girl made him feel the same blank response.

Link had only just realised that he had never felt anything for a girl.

Midna could have been an exception he decided, but that was more down to what saving the world had done to them.  
There was certainly a companionship there, and the hero honestly thought that she was beautiful but there was nothing else.

Link stiffened.  
Did this mean that he liked men?  
Would Shad or Rusl have a different effect?  
No.  
Then maybe Sheik...

The Ordonian fought back an embarrassed flush.  
The thought of those sinewy muscled pressed against him, writhing in his arms, back arching in pleasure –

"Look out!"

Link snapped out of his daydream as an arrow whizzed past his head.  
He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he had failed to notice a small band of archer moblins and Lizardalfos' attack.

Zelda had unhooked her longbow and proceeded to shoot the moblins down before they had the chance to rearm.  
Likewise, Sheik had leapt from his mount to attack the close range enemies with a short sword borrowed from the royal armoury; Shade followed suit, and reached for his blade.

Link dismounted from Epona and, sword swinging, clashed with one of the armoured fiends.

The hero cursed under his breath.  
He hadn't expected any monsters in these parts; in fact they had deliberately picked this route to the hidden village rather than the eastern route because it was monster-free.  
He had taken this route hundreds of times without any trouble so why was there a herd of adversaries there now?

Link swung his sword at the monsters unguarded throat, half decapitating it.  
The Lizardalfos emitted a shrill cry of defeat, head lolling backwards as if on a hinge before collapsing to the floor.  
The Ordonian quickly scanned for his next opponent ignoring the twitching, bleeding thing on the floor.  
Shade was currently occupied by a rather large monster but no way was Link about to run to his rescue!

Sheik was also engaged with one of their attackers, dodging its curved blade as it swung through the air.  
He didn't seem to be having much trouble, but he was not yet healed from his once fatal wounds and they were making combat uncomfortable.  
The Sheikah lunged forward; swinging weapon clanging against armour before back flipping to avoid a retaliating attack.  
The Lizardalfos approached at a run, the warrior coiled himself as low to the ground as a snake would to size up its prey.  
Once the monster was in range, Sheik sprang upwards unexpectedly and stabbed his opponent in its jugular.  
The flailing creature wailed, its crimson essence blossoming out of its scaly hide.  
The Sheikah certainly had an interesting fighting style.

From behind him Link heard Zelda scream.  
A flaming arrow had hit the ground in front of her horse, making it rear up in fright and throw the princess from her seat.  
The hero rushed towards her; intent on keeping her from harm but oblivious to the final Lizardalfos creeping up behind him.

It gave a war cry, swinging its weapon in a wide arc towards the shocked hero.  
Link didn't have the time to raise his shield to defend from the expected blow, raising his arms to guards his head as much as possible.

And yet there was no torn skin.  
He hadn't been cleaved in two as he thought he would.  
Link chanced a look at his adversary.

The still healing Sheikah had intercepted the attack meant for Link, the Lizardalfos' blade catching his rapidly bleeding forearm.  
Blue eyes widened in shock; Sheik had protected him?

Sheiks face crumpled in pain.  
That blade had been razor sharp, carving a gully flooded with red through his muscles.  
His armoured exoskeleton had taken the brunt of the attack, but his clothing was built more for espionage than close combat.

The Lizardalfos gave a wet gurgle as a sword plunged through its stomach from the back.  
Shade was livid, his red eyes bulging and alight with vengeance as he retracted his sword from the dying creatures' bowels.  
How dare it wound _his_ Sheikah!

The princess silently took note of the men's distress, but was too busy shooting down the remaining archers.  
She reached backwards to her quiver, hand groping for another arrow – two left...  
There were still at least five enemies...!

Zelda drew the bowstring up past her ear, aiming as best she could at the moblins crouching atop the cliff before firing.  
A strangled yelp let her know that she had hit her target.  
The princess wasted no time unleashing a second arrow, arm whipping back to retrieve her final wooden ammunition.

Sheik, having noticed Zelda's predicament, dashed towards a fallen moblins and dredged the arrow from its still warm corpse.  
Its body squelched at the foreign object being roughly wrenched free.  
He shouted to the blond woman and deftly threw the lightweight arrow to her,  
"Princess, catch!"

However, by the time she had rearmed her bow, the two remaining moblins had fled.

Link grabbed the petite warriors arm and inspected the injury.  
The gash was deep, but not deep enough to cause many problems.  
He sighed in relief, he didn't know what he would've done if Sheik had lost his arm because of his carelessness.

"We need to hurry and treat him at the hidden village."  
Zelda said, hurrying them back to the distressed horses and holding her cape hem to the Sheikah's injury as a makeshift tourniquet.  
The hero nodded and planted Sheik firmly on Epona before clambering on also.  
The Sheikah flushed, it was only a scratch after all; there was no need to treat him like an invalid!

Shade said nothing but mounted Sheiks horse – from the looks of it he had known how to ride all along.

* * *

Dennik frowned at the report given to him as he lounged on the former princess' throne.

He had been having a very productive first day as supreme ruler of Hyrule, already having disbanding the now useless council.  
He had even stated drafting a new set of laws when the news reached him that the pack of monsters he had sent after Zelda had been slain.

Needless to say the messenger had been taken away for execution.

He had hoped that the surprise attack on the group would have finished them off before they caused any trouble.  
Even a dictator needed prudence and caution especially when the holders of two triforce pieces were free to run amok in his kingdom.

The princess in particular could easily become a rallying point for traitors and potential enemies.  
Ideally the black-haired man would have taken Zelda to bed and then have had her executed as an example to others, but that idea had also been cut short.

Perhaps he should have sent them a more dangerous foe to contend with...

He smiled as a fresh idea sprung to his devious mind.  
Surely this would be the end of the princess and her guardians!

"Guards, bring me the man in cell number forty-eight! I have a job for him."

* * *

Sheik stretched his arm, clenching his fist experimentally.  
Zelda had done a spectacular job of fixing him up, and it looked as though it would heal in no time at all.

They had reached old kakariko after a ten minute ride, having encountered no more obstacles along their route.  
The village had certainly changed since he was last here.  
The windmill landmark was gone without a trace; as was the graveyard and all of the houses.  
In their place was what looked like a ghost town with only conjoined warehouses to occupy it.

There was also no well.

The four were currently holed up in Impaz's former house, discussing their plan of action and absently stroking the multitude of cats that inhabited the village.  
"We should rest here awhile," The princess reasoned while patting an auburn tabby cat which had yowled loudly at Shade when he had entered,  
"Sheik is injured and we are all tired from our earlier battle."

"For the last time, it's just a scratch." Sheik grumbled, feeling rather coddled, "Although I do agree that we need to do some reconnaissance."

Link nodded his head and exclaimed that there wasn't a well in the entire village – he had checked on their arrival.  
Could it be possible that the creature had lied to them about the lens of truth for some ulterior motive?

Sheik calmly allowed the multitude of cats to wrap their bodies around his feet, purring when he scratched them behind the ears.  
How so many cats had come to congregate in such a desolate area and survive was a mystery to him.  
There had not been many cats in the Sheikah's Hyrule, and they had been revered by his tribe for their grace and stealth.  
It was nice to see that at least the cats had prospered through the ages.

Shade pouted sullenly in the cat-free corner.

"The most immediate problem," Zelda remarked, "Is how to locate the well."

"Try checking anything with a Sheikan symbol or marking, it may be a clue."  
Shade suggested, getting impatient with sitting in a cat infested house.

Link as the only one who had investigated the hidden village before, probed his memory for any such marking.  
Surely a Sheikah built village would house its symbol somewhere, and he had to find it!  
Even if he had to overturn every stone and – wait!

"Every stone..."  
Link's eyes widened in realisation,  
"The whistling stones, they have the all-seeing eye on them!"

Zelda smiled widely and congratulated the hero, glad that they had a lead after all.

"I'll go check it out." Sheik offered, hoping to prove himself fit and able once again.  
"Sheik, you are injured! What if there is an enemy waiting?" the princess fretted, wringing her now gloveless hands – she had taken them off to stem the Sheikahs blood flow.

_They're all treating me like I'm made of glass! _

"She's right, someone else should go."  
"I can defend myself you know, hero!"  
"Says the accident pone Sheikah! Has a day ever gone by without you needing a medic?"  
"And whose fault is it that I'm injured in the first place?"

"Please do not make me throw another pail of water over you both!" Zelda cried at the squabbling warriors.  
Link smiled internally.  
They were at least they were fighting again; being around Sheik had felt awkward without the constant bickering between themselves.

"Sheik, you can investigate if you want, but not alone and you are under no circumstances to enter the well without the rest of us as backup.  
Link I want you to stay here with me."  
The look in Zelda's crystal eyes let them know that arguing was out of the question.

Sheik send the hero a victory smirk,  
"Where's the whistling stone?"  
Link grudgingly told him its location; the only consolation being that by process of elimination it would be Shade accompanying the Sheikah.

Sheik had realised this too and hid his anxiety.  
He was confident that he could fend off the taller man if he tried anything suspicious, but the constant worry was still there.  
He really didn't want to go alone anywhere with the creature...

Sheik mentally shook himself.  
He was acting like a frightened child; he was a Sheikah – trained to endure whatever the situation and complete the mission.  
No way was he about to cower in fear over one bad experience!

Full of determination, the blond warrior left the room followed closely by Shade who turned and waggled his eyebrows suggestively at the hero.

Once the pair had left, the princess tuned to the Ordonian hero, her face serious.  
"Link, I have not had the opportunity to ask you this as the last few days have been quite... eventful."  
He snorted at the understatement, grateful to be able to speak privately with his friend.  
The last few days had been such a rush that they hadn't found the time to sit down together and discuss anything as they normally would.

"I have heard Sheik's version of what happened while he had run away, but something tells me that your tale is quite different."

Link nodded sombrely, trying not to remember the image of the Sheikah being assaulted.  
"He lied when he said about that guard trying to steal from him." The man admitted, thankful to be able to talk about what had been bothering him,  
"That man hadn't jumped him for money, he was trying to... you know... do_ it_ with him!"  
"Do _what_ with him?"  
"You know... _it_!"

Zelda finally caught on, her puzzled expression tuning to one of horror.  
Link frowned; the princess was clearly disturbed by the information.  
Was it because they were both men? Did she have something against it?  
No, Zelda wasn't like that.  
She was probably just freaked out about what had almost happened to Sheik.

"Link, do you realise what this means!"  
The hero raised a questioning eyebrow, not seeing the reason for panic.  
"I have just sent Sheik off alone with his potential rapist!"  
She wailed, clearly furious with herself while Link stood up in alarm and confusion.

"What do you mean? Shade didn't attack him, the guard did!"  
"I thought you knew that Shade could possess people and tried to steal from Sheik! I thought that was why you keep fighting with him!"

Link recoiled in shock, the full picture finally before his eyes.  
He hadn't known that the creature could possess people; that fact now coupled with his obvious lust for the Sheikah made the seriousness of the situation all the more imperative.

"Zelda, we need to go after them!"

* * *

Sheik bent down to examine the whistling stone; the symbol of his race caved deep into it with strong, fluid grooves.

Shade sat back and admired the display before him, holding back a groan of ecstasy.  
He observed the Sheikah, crouched on the ground and leaning forward – unwittingly showing the creature the outline of his perfectly sculpted rear.

This would be the perfect opportunity.  
He could push the Sheikah to the floor and claim him with ease.  
The Sheikah would be on his guard, but it would be futile to fight back against the creatures' superior strength and height.

He could do it!  
At long last claim the blond teen as his own!

"What do you think, love?"  
He questioned, stalking slowly around the crouching youth.  
Sheik shifted uncomfortably, never having felt more self conscious then he did in that moment with those hungry watching him.  
He knew what was coming, he knew it would happen.

Shade looked at him like a starved man looking at a buffet.

"I can't tell, I've never seen something like this before."  
Normally Sheik would be able to figure out how to use it in a few moments, he was a Sheikah after all, but the creature prowling around him was too distracting.  
He could think of little else but the anticipation of the upcoming attack.

Sheik warily fingered one of his throwing needles.

"You're looking tense, pet!" Shade giggled, running a hand through his white tresses,  
"I know a good way to relax – interested?"  
The creature loomed behind the Sheikah, casting a shadow over him.

"Sheik!"  
The blond teen looked up to see Link and Zelda hurrying towards him as if Ganondorf himself was behind them.  
The princess was breathing heavy but her face was relieved.  
"What's happened? Why were you running?" asked the Sheikah in concern.

Zelda bit her lip, judging whether it would be better to confront the creature or bide their time.  
"We finished our talk and decided to come and help out."  
Sheik narrowed his eyes in disbelief.  
Why would they come running so frantically when, in reality, their locations had not been far apart?  
Something was defiantly going on...

Shade concealed his disappointment.  
There would be other chances; it wasn't like they could do without him to guide them.  
He would simply have to bide his time...

Link glared harder at the creature then he had ever glared before, his expressive face taut and belligerent.  
The dislike he had previously felt toward Shade was nothing compared to the acute loathing he felt now.

This man had tried to rape Sheik!  
He ignored the fact that he cared about this way more then he should in favour of imagining the best way to maim his doppelganger.  
They had let them ride together for Dins sake!  
Sheik must have been so humiliated – assuming that he knew the true identity of his assailant.

Did Sheik even know that the man travelling with them had attempted to violate him just days ago?  
If not, should he tell him?

Unaware of the hero's anguish Sheik returned to the task at hand, secretly thankful for their arrival.  
He had to remind himself that Hero was not Link and, no matter how much he insisted, neither was Shade.  
He hated himself for feeling so safe around the Ordonian, but even more so for getting excited over the creature on their journey to old Kakariko.

More than anything Sheik felt ashamed – did Link mean so little to him that he'd feel this way around the Hylians copies?

The princess joined Sheik in examining the whistling stone,  
"Do you hear that?"  
Sheik nodded absently, listening to the wind howling through the stone's hollow centre.

"When I used the stone before, I howled along with it and a skeletal warrior appeared."  
Link explained his voice controlled and empty of expression – something very out of character for the expressive Ordonian.  
Zelda nodded her head in comprehension and concentrated her magic in her throat; bringing her fingers to her mouth she whistled a warbling tune.

At first nothing happened, but soon Link could feel his very bones trembling – a pre-emptive quake that seemed to escalate by the second until the ground itself began to rumble.  
The stone itself quivered at the intense magic resonating, pulsing greedily as if gorging itself on the rich energy.  
Once the hollow stone had devoured its fill, it slid backwards fluently across the ancient ground to reveal a worn set of stairs leading down into murky depths.

Link gave a low whistle, impressed at the sight,  
"I'm guessing this is the entrance to the well then!"  
"The sooner we get this over with the better – at the very least it's the biggest lead we've found," Sheik announced, attempting to peer into the all consuming black,  
"I say we go in!"

The princess hovered anxiously over the newly unveiled steps, debating if it were in their best interests to explore now or retire back to Impaz's house.  
It was only a little past midday, and the party had mostly recovered from the day's events.  
Sheiks injury would not likely cause any problems, and it was not as if an extra few hours would make it heal any faster...

"Alright," She conceded, "We shall go in."

* * *

The imprisoned guard was thrown before the man he had only just learned was his new ruler.  
He had been in a tiny cell for two days now for a crime he had not committed and was burning with the injustice of it all.  
He had served the Royal family with pride - working tirelessly hard to support his wife and five year old daughter.  
Years of service repaid by suspicion and false accusations.  
He feared the worst for his family, all alone and unprotected without him.

Dennik wore a sympathetic mask; perfectly schooled features accustomed to this expression.  
"Your name is Galk, correct?"  
The guard nodded, wary about the dark-haired man seated on the princess's throne.  
The former councillor suppressed his annoyance at the non-existent reply in favour of completing the task at hand.

"I am afraid that I have some bad news for you Galk.  
I blame myself entirely, but alas! I cannot change the past!  
All I can hope to do is offer a full explanation alongside my condolences."

Galk's hands clenched.  
Something was wrong with his family, he could feel it!

"I am afraid that the princess Zelda – although presenting a virtuous disguise to her kingdom, has been lying to us all.  
She is little more than a deceptive wench who delights in terrorising her people – you being her most recent victim..."

Dennik let out a long, regretful sigh as the guard eyed him doubtfully.  
The princess may have wrongfully imprisoned him but he simply couldn't believe that she was anything but kind and generous.

"I could not bear to allow such behaviour to continue so I confronted her about it, begged her to stop!  
Fearing the repercussions of her sins, the former princess abdicated and fled alongside her brainwashed followers.  
I had only learned of your containment this morning; Had I have known sooner –no, had Zelda not imprisoned you then their fate could have been avoided!"

Galk shook in apprehension; what had happened to his beautiful wife and child?  
They meant the world to him!  
Elysse had only recently taken to following him around their house like a lost duckling while his beloved Elmya watched with that gentle smile on her face.  
His little Elysse's first and favourite word had been 'daddy' – she said it so much that it annoyed all of the neighbours but what he wouldn't give to her voice right now!

The broad man didn't know what he would do if his precious girls were taken from him!

"Please," he croaked desperately, "Tell me what's happened!"  
Dennik concealed a smirk – he had the older man right where he wanted him.  
How better to attack the fragile princess then to wound her conscience.  
After all, how could she fight against a man whose family she had destroyed?

"They are dead - killed by wild beasts when they went out looking for you."

Galk choked back a sob and dropped to his knees in despair.  
He could almost feel his world crumbling around him.  
His little girl – dead.  
The love of his life – dead.  
His throat burned and tears overflowed from their native springs, tumbling to the ground.

What did he have to live for now?

"I am very sorry for your loss, rest assured that Zelda will pay for her crimes!"  
"I'll do it." Galk muttered darkly from the ground, "I'll kill her for what she's done! I won't let her get away with it!"

Dennik smiled slowly and cruelly, displaying a row of pearly white teeth.  
Perfect!

"If you insist then I'll put you in charge of the hunt – now get some rest!"  
Galk allowed himself to be submissively led from the room, any thoughts other then revenge having died alongside his kin.

Once the man had left, the black-haired usurper turned to a shadowy corner just behind his throne where a grey-skinned individual was concealed.  
"Exactly as planned!  
Now if you don't mind there are a few loose ends that need to be taken care of."

The Nosferatu man grinned in return,  
"Understood, sire.  
I'll take some of my men and slaughter his family – a reward for their good service!"

* * *

Sheik red eyes darted around the murky chamber in recognition.  
He knew this place with its gothic wall carvings and secret passages; horrific faces vigilantly guarding his people's tomb.

Link had grabbed a flaming torch upon their entrance to the mysterious cavern to light their way.  
The flickering light was providing just enough warmth to keep the quartet, although there was a pervading chill in the air and a dank, musty smell.  
The pained, carved faces on the walls looked alive in the iridescent glow – their engraved eyes following their unwelcome visitors.

For some reason, this place gave him a bad feeling.

The stone ground was wet and echoed their footsteps with a distinct splash; the noise reverberating through the hollowed out stone passages.  
Shade was the only one who did not seem affected by the eerie atmosphere, sloshing through the soaking floor completely at home in the shadowy environment.

"Zelda, there's something written over here!"  
The woman turned to face Link who was crouched before a large piece of slate – it did indeed bear worn engraved words.  
They looked ancient, the formal grooves almost completely eroded by time.

"I cannot see what the carvings say... perhaps if I had better light I would be able to decipher the symbols better?"  
The princess squinted closer at the carved symbols,  
"I think it is written in-"

"Ancient Hylian." Sheik interrupted, entranced by the familiar setting.  
"It says: 'Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred'."

"How can you tell?" Link asked, squinting at the faded characters.  
No way could the Sheikah have read that writing so quickly when even Zelda, with all her sagacity, could not.

"I know because I've been here before. We're in the house of the dead, where the Sheikah people were entombed to eternally watch over Hyrule from the shadows – the shadow temple."

Shade nodded his approval, silently letting it known that he knew exactly where they were.  
This put the Sheikah even more on edge; the creature seemed to be pulling their strings, leading them wherever he chose like puppets.  
He didn't even want to consider how much power the white-haired man had over the group.

Sheik clenched his fists.  
The creature may be a shadow being, but the shadows were also a Sheikah area of expertise – if Shade was trying to lead them into a trap in this darkness then he had another thing coming!

"What does the inscription refer to?"  
The princess questioned, running her hand over the carvings in an attempt to verify Sheik's interpretation of the ancient Hylian.

"It was a little before my time," He began, "The royal family betrayed the Sheikah who had vowed service to them.  
Some Sheikah were unhappy with eternal servitude and rebelled – the royal family could not stand for anyone else to benefit from the Sheikan eyes; in their greed they took the rebels and plucked out their eyes – the worst fate any can bestow on a Sheikah.  
It did not however end there."

Sheik took a deep quivering breath.  
He could almost feel his ancestors' spirits surrounding him; suffocating him with their sorrow and unquenchable fury.  
He got the feeling that if he listened closely, he would hear them whispering to him.

"We should keep moving, we'll talk on the way."

The princess and hero agreed, not liking the oppressive atmosphere.  
Shade hovered a little behind them with bright eyes, enjoying the darkness.

"The Royal family, afraid of another uprising slaughtered most of the Sheikah population.  
In one night my race was all but massacred and this temple became our grave.  
Elderly Sheikah and those too young to fight were banished to the edges of Hyrule until they were old enough to be of use.  
Due to this, fewer and fewer children were conceived until our race had finally dwindled down to me."

The group had been walking in what seemed to be a straight line, although it sloped gradually downwards until they reached what seemed to be a dead end.  
Link huffed in disbelief – he had really thought that they were on the right path!  
To have to return up that dismal tunnel to the surface was not a pleasant thought.

He had been about to turn around and direct them all back when the Sheikah stopped him, gently grabbed his arm.  
The Ordonian tried not to think about how warm that hand was...

Sheik was peering intently at the wall, his crimson eyes scanning the apparently solid wall.  
"There are two paths ahead!" He exclaimed to the waiting princess, who had suspected as much.  
After all, what would be the point in a secret tunnel which leads nowhere?

"Sheik, should we proceed left or right?" She whispered, cursing herself for being intimidated by the haunting passage.  
Shade grinned with blatant glee, his ruby iris' sparkling in the torchlight.  
"Go left. There's something in there that'll interest you!"

Link turned to his princess with a warning in his eyes.  
Anything that the creature deemed 'interesting' was defiantly not anything good.  
Sheik's seemed to be thinking along similar lines,  
"I say we go right!"

"To the left there is an item of great value to you though, love! It may even come in handy..."

The lithe warriors' interest was indeed captured by what could be down that corridor.  
He had only visited the labyrinth that was the shadow temple a handful of times for funerals, and so had never had the chance to explore.  
It was something he had dearly wanted to do despite the daunting atmosphere...

Zelda, acting as unofficial leader of the quartet, gave her permission to go left – if only to find the valuable item.  
Link begrudgingly followed the group, reluctant to submit to Shade's lead but too curious to complain out loud.  
Instead he adopted a passive aggressive attitude which he was determined to vent on either his doppelganger or Sheik later.

Sheik walked through the semi-permeable wall – which to the rest of the party looked as if the teen had vanished through a stone slab.  
The princess prodded experimentally at the wall, intrigued by the illusion before walking through.

Instead of another tunnel as they had expected, the quartet had found themselves in a large circular burial chamber.  
Modest stone coffins encircled the room, creating a spherical maze of tombs.  
The high, arching ceiling was engraved with the 'all-seeing eye', watching over its fallen people, all unified in death.  
The room was brightly lit by what must have been enchanted fires as they burned blue and produced no heat – licking harmlessly at the walls.

What drew Sheik's attention however, was an unusually elaborate tomb in the crypts centre.  
He stumbled slowly towards it as if in a trance.  
The teen could almost sense who it was that was housed by that magnificent coffin.  
Reaching his target he ran his fingers over the rough stone, a cold pulse greeting him.  
Zelda jointed him at the foot of his own grave and traced her fingers over badly preserved symbols, reciting it aloud,

"Here lies Sheik of the Sheikah.  
His music washed away from the soul the dust of everyday life.  
May his soul be remembered through his music."

Resting atop the coffin was a golden lyre, perfectly maintained through the ages.

Link looked at the motionless Sheikah then at Shade who had begun to laugh as though someone had told him a hilarious joke.  
"Do you have any idea how cruel it was to take us here?!" The hero shouted, his pent up rage erupting at the psychotic man.  
As if he hadn't already done enough to the blond teen, he had to take him to his own grave?  
This creature claimed to love Sheik and then he goes and does this?

Sheik solemnly picked up his treasured musical instrument.  
He and Link had often played duets together, the Hylian on his ocarina and the Sheikah on his Lyre.  
If only in those moments, Sheik felt as though he and the young hero were one – their notes entwining and complimenting each other.  
If only for a few moments, they were not Sheik and Link divided by race – they were Sheik and Link, ordinary people.  
This instrument was a symbol of those naive days spent together.

Those days that felt like so long ago...

"We should go. We don't want to be down here too long." He muttered, strapping the lyre to his back.  
"Are you taking the Harp with you?" Link asked curiously.  
He assumed that the golden instrument belonged to his fellow warrior, but he had never assumed the other boy to be musically talented.  
He didn't seem like someone who would spend hours learning time consuming skill rather then training.

Sheik turned to the hero in irritation.  
"It's not a harp, it's a Lyre!"  
The Ordonian smirked, seeing an ample opportunity to snap the Sheikah out of his miserable mood.  
"Isn't that just a glorified harp though? There isn't any difference!"

"He's right, love. I know you like that thing but it's just – OW!"  
Sheik cut Shade off mid sentence by jabbing a needle into the white-haired man's wandering hand.

"Don't think that just because it's dark you can grope me again! Try again and I'll put another needle somewhere that'd hurt a lot more!"

Link smiled at the Sheikahs antics.  
He had definitely lightened the mood, and the creature had been injured as a bonus!

It seemed life was finally looking up!

* * *

A/N: Wuh-hey! Chapter 7 done! Really long one this week and it took me ages!!! 6,945 words this time! I know that the shadow temple and the well aren't linked, but I mapped them both out and the individual dungeon maps overlap, so it's not impossible that there would be some kind of link between them! Dennik seems to be getting worse! At first I was going to leave Galk as a onetime character but I felt sorry for him so BAM! He's now going to be an important character!


	8. Chapter 8: progression

**Origins: Chapter 8**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATENESS OF THIS! To make amends it's the longest I've ever written and there's a nice moment at the end. My computer lost all of my files so I had to begin from scratch on drama exam week of all weeks! Most of my time was occupied with rehearsals and in the actual thing I ending up hitting a fellow actress in the face and she hates me now X(  
Anyway, I hope this was worth the wait – I'll defiantly upload on time next week!

EPIC THANKS TO EDWARD HOUSHI WHO HAS STUCK WITH ME THROUGH MY ABHORANT LATENESS!

WARNINGS: violence, creature warning, fluffy bits, and a bit of spurting blood for you squeamish people ;)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

............................................................................................................................................................

They had found the entrance to the well.

The four adventurers had retraced their steps back to the junction and took the passage to the right.  
This time, the long tunnel sloped slightly upwards where the air smelt a little less stale and a little more liberating.  
All of them (with the exception of Shade, who was nursing his impaled hand) were inexpressibly happy to be free of the crypt for one reason or another.  
Link and Zelda simply hated that oppressive darkness, whereas Sheik was feeling a bit disorientated after visiting his own bones.

He felt a shiver run through his spine.  
It had been so surreal to read his own obituary, to stand in front of the stone that housed his ancient corpse, to be surrounded by his deceased ancestors...  
Needless to say, he was glad to be out of there!

At the end of the tunnel, there was a filtered ray of light, illuminating a wide hole in the ground encircled by crumbling rocks which looked as though they had once formed a waist-high wall.  
Leaning over the edge of the wall, the bottom dissolved into an inky darkness.

"How do we get down there?"  
The princess asked, looking around for something helpful.  
However there was nothing of any use around them - only eroded stones and thick vines latticed around the fortified well.

Link peered into the gloomy depths, intent of finding a way down.  
He lowered the flaming torch as far down as it would reach and illuminated the stone perimeter in a sickly orange glow.  
He had been about to turn away in defeat when something caught his eye.

Just a little distance below well's maw was a slight protrusion, which appeared to be an ancient ladder.  
Below it, at uneven distances, were other protrusions which descended into the thick darkness under them.

"There are some wooden rungs inside the well, maybe we could climb down them."  
"Link, that wood must be rotten by now." Zelda sighed in dismay, "It would not be able to support our weight!"

Sheik picked up a large piece of rubble, tossing it in the air to judge its load before pacing over to the well and letting it drop to the bottom with a sickening crack.

The expected crack had taken a longer time to echo back at the group than expected.  
The well was clearly deep, too deep for any of them to jump down without breaking something at the very least.

Then there was the problem of getting out once they were in.

"Perhaps," Sheik considered, "If I went down the well first then Hero could throw me the torch so we can see how far down the bottom is."  
"Good idea, love. That way if Mr. Incompetent falls down you can catch him!"  
Link scowled at his doppelganger through the gloom, sufficiently insulted.

Zelda gave her uncertain approval, allowing Sheik to stretch one long leg down to meet the first aged rung.  
The wooden protrusion was very thin, just about what a fingertip could grip onto.  
He tested its strength; gently probing the wood with his foot for any signs of it giving way.  
When he found it to be reasonably sturdy, the Sheikah gingerly dropped himself over the well's edge and paused at every lateral rung to check it.

Eventually he picked up some speed as he descended the seemingly endless well, the distilled light from above becoming less and less visible.  
He was eager to reach sturdy ground once again; being suspended in midair in an almost pitch-black well was not the most welcome notion.  
Suddenly, the rung beneath the Sheikah's left foot snapped with a pained crack – catching the teen off guard.

Sheik wobbled uncertainly, hanging off of the plank of wood above him.  
It seemed he had misjudged the slightly shorter distance to the snapped rung and had mistakenly put too much weight on it.

Sheik cursed.  
The next foothold was too far down to reach and was unlikely to hold his weight if he jumped to it.  
He could feel the rung he was clutching on to groan in agony, unused to supporting anything but dust after centuries of disuse.  
No way was he about to climb back up again – they had to reach the bottom of the well no matter what!  
He could be right above the floor and land safely if he jumped, or be miles above and end his second life as a bloody mess on the stone floor...

He took a deep breath to calm himself.  
How far down had he climbed?  
How much further did he have to go?

Sheik took a deep breath and let himself drop.

The lithe warrior curled his body quickly in preparation for the impact.  
Hopefully his gamble would pay off!  
He hit the ground sooner than he had thought he would, falling only a small distance to the wet floor.  
The Sheikah gave a light sigh of relief and put a hand to his racing heart; its harsh beat was somewhat comforting – the rhythm of continuing life.

"Sheik! What happened? Are you alright?"  
Zelda's frantic voice echoed down the vertical hole, the small space magnifying her call until the Sheikah winced at the volume.

"I'm fine! After several rungs there's a short drop to the floor. I'll have to catch you!"  
The princess called out an affirmative while Link leaned over the well's edge, torch in hand.  
Sheik hoped that the flame would not extinguish itself on its way down or be put out by the watery floor – while a Sheikah did not rely exclusively on their eyesight, it was a little intimidating to be blinded.

The hero dropped the torch, praying to the goddesses that it would not go out as it fell.  
The flickering orange light illuminated that cobbled walls as it plunged into the unknown depths – it was definitely a long way down...  
Sheik pressed his back firmly against the slimy wall, waiting for the flame to come within range before lunging towards the free-falling flame – expertly catching it as though he had done it a thousand times.

Zelda peered down the well.  
The flickering light looked so far away from the bottom of such a vast tunnel...  
She had never done anything like this before; it would be physically demanding and, while she was in shape, she had never needed to rely on pure muscle before.  
With a deep breath she too descended into the gloom, praying to Nayru that she would not lose her grip.

She disappeared over the periphery of the well, swinging her foot below her in search of the wood that would support her.  
She found it and lowered her weight gently onto it.  
Her arms were already aching; tendons being stretched as she descended further down the hole and fingers stiff from cold.  
Her sword was heavy around her waist, making her movements sluggish and laboured – how Sheik had managed the descent so fluently, she would never know.

The princess peered into the inky black below her, the torchlight acting as her goal.  
She had to keep going until she reached that light!  
She had to do this if only to see the expression on Dennik's face when she returned victorious.  
Energy Zelda didn't even know she had forced itself through her veins, mixing with adrenaline and a fierce determination to wipe the smirk off the black-haired usurper's face.

Link squinted down the well towards the slowly vanishing princess.  
He wanted to give her some encouragement, but worried it might distract her and send her plummeting.  
He shook himself slightly.  
Sheik was down there and wouldn't fail to catch her – he was certain!

The hero was unsure when it had happened, but on some level he had come to trust the argumentative Sheikah.  
The younger boy hadn't done anything to try and earn his trust – maybe that was why he had come to like the blonde teen.  
He was genuine.  
Sheik was undoubtedly aggressive, but sincere in his desire to help them – which put the hero at ease.

Shade, however, was a completely different story.

"Hey hero," the white-haired man asked sneakily, tossing a piece of rubble in his hand, "If I drop this rock then what are the chances of it hitting her royal highness?"  
Link's eyes narrowed.  
"You wouldn't dare!"

The creature laughed quietly and crept closer to the edge of the well, his red eyes glinting with malice.  
The Ordonian started forward but paused uncertainly when his doppelganger held the piece of granite over the hole.

If he did anything to the other man, the rock would fall and hit Zelda (or an unsuspecting Sheik)!  
"You're twisted!" The feral hero growled, wanting nothing more than to rip the creature's throat out.

"Well excuse me, princess! Don't get your royal panties in a bunch!"  
Shade's fingers slightly loosened their grip on the chunk of rubble.

Link's heart pounded in his chest.  
He wouldn't actually drop it... would he?  
Even this fiend wouldn't do that – at the very least he wouldn't risk harming the Sheikah.  
Dropping such a heavy object from this height would cause serious damage if it hit anyone!

Shade loosened his grip even more.  
The rock was only just hooked on to his fingertips now – dangling teasingly above the gaping mouth of the well.

"I have a proposition for you, hero." He taunted, swinging his hand lightly and making the rubble inch further through his hold,  
"I won't drop this and squish your darling Zelda if you give me something in return..."

Link leaned forward, hoping to intercept the rock should it be dropped and decide to plummet.  
He didn't like the idea of a deal with the creature – absolutely no good would come of it, he was sure!

The Ordonian glared hatefully.  
"Your terms?"  
"Once we get out of here, I want you to distract the princess while I spend some... _quality time_ with my pet."

Link didn't even have to think about it,  
"No way."  
Did Shade seriously think he'd agree to such a deal?  
He could never put Sheik in such a dilemma – especially with this man.

Instead of the expected frown however, the doppelgangers customary smirk widened,  
"Wrong answer!"

The stone dropped.

The hero gave a short yell, reaching forwards in futile hope of catching it.  
Damn it! He hadn't been ready!  
His whole body felt like lead; his movements were too slow, too clumsy.  
He was certain that he wouldn't reach it in time!

It was Shade who intercepted the falling debris – crouching to the floor and grabbing it in his left hand quicker then Link could blink.  
The Ordonian would have sighed in relief had he not been trembling with rage,  
"You absolute bastard! You could have killed someone!"

"And here I thought you'd be grateful that I spared the life of your friend!"  
That malicious grin had not faded from its nest on the creatures face.

"Link! What is going on up there?"  
A voice echoed from below, nervousness and fright magnified by the reverberating sound.  
"It's nothing, Zelda!"  
He didn't want to distract the princess on her descent.  
She must be close to the well's floor by now, but he still didn't want her to risk a fall before it was necessary.

Link kept his eyes trained on the white haired man opposite who was picking at his nails in boredom.  
"If you try that again," He seethed quietly in what was almost a hiss, "Then I won't be responsible for what happens...!"  
Shade chortled,  
"Dropping rocks down a well isn't really my style – too dull.  
I'll give you time to think over our deal, but if you give me the wrong answer again..."

The creature stalked slowly towards the young hero, eyes and voice darkening,  
"I'm the one who won't be responsible for what happens!"

Link had been ready to jump the other man and pummel him into the floor for daring to threaten both him and his friends when he was interrupted by Sheik's call from the bottom of the well.  
"Hero, it's your turn next!"

The Ordonian reluctantly clambered over the edge, locating the first footing easily and lowering himself down.  
He didn't want to waste time climbing down, and the creature flipping the rock over his head was not a reassuring thought.

Sheik peered through the gloom to the wells opening.  
Although he couldn't hear the details, he had defiantly heard some shouting between the two men.  
However considering their attitudes towards each other, the fighting wasn't exactly out of place...

Zelda was leaning against one of the well's fortifications, massaging her aching muscles.  
He could tell it had been very difficult for her; she didn't seem to have much stamina or physical strength to help her.  
She did however have determination, and her light weight meant the beams supported her easier than they had Sheik.  
Link and Shade did not have this good fortune as they were weighed down by heavy weapons and muscle.

No way was Sheik going to catch them! They could jump by themselves!

The Sheikah was surprised at the speed the hero was climbing at; he could already see his outline half way down the well.  
Not that he had expected anything less from the hero.  
If hero was even half the man that Link had been, he would still be fantastically skilled, brave, and a good person.

Sheik knew the hero didn't deserve his constant barrage of insults, but he couldn't help himself.  
It was a somewhat playful teasing – almost as if they were friends; a comfortable verbal exchange between them.  
The sheikah could easily admit this to himself, but he also felt something deeper in his actions.

In his heart Sheik could tell that not all of the anger and insults were said in jest.  
Sometimes the teen could feel genuine, raw resentment of the Ordonian – a dark, burning in his stomach towards the man who dared to mock him by wearing Link's face.  
What disturbed him more though, were the times when he would glance over at the other warrior and smile softly; unnoticed under his cowl.

Was he smiling with fondness?  
Was he smiling with admiration?  
Or worst of all, was he smiling with that affection which belonged to Link and Link alone!

Sheik's stomach churned at his own damned disloyalty – he shouldn't be so conflicted over a mere reincarnation!  
His heart beat only for the hero's origin.

It was unfair and it was irrational – completely out of character for the flaxen-haired young man, but he couldn't help it.  
It hurt to think.  
It hurt to feel.

Link dropped down next to the Sheikah with a wet thud and looked around, ankles throbbing harshly from the impact.  
The bottom of the well was narrower than the surface, closing in around them the deeper they had gone.  
He gently took the torch from Sheik's hand, making the other man jump – apparently the Sheikah had been lost in his thoughts again.

The orange glow illuminated the circular area, revealing a part of the wall with a narrow gap.  
Perhaps it had been the passageway to the lens?  
Either way, it was almost completely covered by rubble and they would probably need to crawl through.

Link shivered.  
He didn't like the feel of this place any more than he had the mausoleum above.

In the shadow temple the air had been cold and brittle, sterile even – a prickle along your throat so sharp that it threatened to slice, like a paper thin blade.  
In the well however, it was as though the claustrophobic walls themselves were breathing hot, humid breath down his neck – anxiety and heat making inhaling difficult and exhaling no more pleasant.  
The whole place was rank and oppressive.

The hero looked up at the mouth of the well; Shade was already making his way down, the creature's silhouette speeding along as if he had done it a thousand times.  
Link supposed that the shadowy being was absolutely in his element here in the dark and dank.

Something wasn't right though.  
The creature's form seemed distorted somehow, bending in all the wrong ways...  
The hero peered upwards, trying to make sense of the morphing, descending shape.  
However, when Link finally made sense out of his doppelgangers movements he recoiled in disbelief.

Shade was descending rapidly down the well's wall – upside down!  
His feet clinging onto the wooden supports while his hands groped for the next rung in a bizarre crawl.  
He wasn't even looking where he was going for Dins sake! His blood-red eyes fixed on his own laughingly.  
In the darkness he almost looked like a Gohma stalking its prey, the creep...!

A thud next to Sheik announced Shade's landing, crouched on splayed hands and knees before straightening up as though nothing had happened.  
Link shook his head – he really hoped that the creature didn't do that again!

"We should continue," Zelda announced having caught her breath fully at last, "It does not seem wise to linger here for too long."  
She, too, was uneasy with the stifling atmosphere.  
Link voiced his agreement and began to crawl through the partially-blocked passage.  
It was cramped, but it was wide enough for them to get through without any problems.  
Sheik followed soon after with Zelda and Shade taking up the rear.

Thankfully the wet ground slicked their way through the passage, making it more of a paddle then a crawl.  
Sheik tried his best to ignore the hero's backside right in front of him and blushed beneath his blessed cowl; he couldn't even imagine how mortifying it would be if Link could hear his thoughts right now...

The sheikah couldn't exactly look away either – it was _right there_!  
The hero's green tunic was riding up ever so slightly, teasing the teen with a glimpse of well toned muscle masked by opaque white leggings.  
The water beneath them turning the leggings transparent and betraying peachy thighs and calves which twitched and strained and clenched with every movement.

Sheik disguised a low moan as a peculiar cough/sneeze hybrid and firmly shut his eyes.  
If he couldn't see it then he wouldn't get distracted!  
Eventually the tunnel came to its conclusion, releasing the quartet from its dank bowels.  
The Sheikah quickly scanned the room, deliberately not looking at Link out of shame.

This chamber was quite large and was circular as well; the now earthy floor arching upwards, swelled and heavy with water.  
What drew their attention though, were about seven long white poles sticking out of the ground at random intervals, stained with some red substance – rust maybe?  
They looked to be about twice Sheik's full height, an impressive size even if the youth was a little on the short side.

The Sheikah crept nearer in interest.  
The poles looked to be alive – swaying serenely in a nonexistent breeze and pulsing up and down in silent breaths.  
Upon closer inspection, atop each of the white poles were -

"Hands!" Zelda gasped, recoiling from the disembodied appendages in horror.  
What sheik had mistaken for long poles were in actuality eerie arms sticking out from the earth – he could see it clearly now: the elbow joint halfway down the abnormally long appendage, the limp wrist twitching occasionally as if sensing their presence.  
The red stains mistaken for rust looked revoltingly similar to ancient bloodstains upon a second glance.

The elegant arm that Sheik had been observing rotated slowly so that its lax fingers were pointed directly at him, still swaying as if attempting to hypnotise them.  
The things may have been disgusting, but there was something eerily beautiful about their soft, placid movements that almost lulled the Sheikah into a compliant trance.

Then, almost too quick to dodge, the hand lunged towards the stunned teen with fingers groping for the Sheikah's hair.  
Sheik managed to duck at the last minute, gasping at how close the disembodied appendages had been to catching him off guard.  
He clamped a hand to his forehead, the hand's sharpened yellow nails having sliced him in their attack.

Link stumbled forwards and wrapped one arm around the Sheikah's waist to drag him away from the hand which had been about to lunge forward at the teen once more.  
The hand, realising its prey had escaped, straightened and returned to its prone position as though it had never come alive at all.  
Sheik sighed softly, satisfied that it wasn't about to attack again but flinched when he tried to move.

The hero's firm arms were still wrapped securely around his waist.  
His hold was tight, but not suffocating – it felt secure to be in the older man's arms.  
It felt reassuring.  
It felt safe.  
Sheik unconsciously lent backwards into Link's firm chest and gently ghosted his hand over the protective arms that shielded him.  
Neither of the men felt that they were able to move, either out of paralyzing awkwardness or excessive comfort.  
Perhaps it was a little of both.  
Either way, neither the hero nor the Sheikah wanted to leave the shared embrace.

"Ahem!"  
Zelda cleared her throat amusedly, noticing the excessive contact between the two boys.  
Ordinarily she would have left them alone, but this was not the time or the place for a blossoming romance.

Shade clearly had the same idea, albeit a more physical reaction.  
Glowering at the hero the creature stormed over and pulled Sheik forcefully away, resting a rough hand on his hip where the Hero's had resided a few seconds ago – a harsh caress following.

The flaxen teen wasted no time in shoving the jealous creature away from him, face reddening from embarrassment.  
That possessive hand was all too different from Link's caring one.

"Have it your way love," the creature hissed, "You clearly think you don't need me!"  
With a dramatic flourish Shade stalked to the wall and plonked himself down,  
"I won't intervene at all in this coming fight and leave everything up to the two princesses here if you dislike my company so much!"  
Link felt very smug indeed, but pouted at the princess comment – something told him that it would soon become a permanent nickname.

The princess looked at the dismembered hands in deep thought.  
There had to be something controlling them, a puppeteer that moved them.  
So where was it?  
Was it on the ceiling? No.  
Then was it on the walls? Not there either.  
So perhaps it was...

She stomped firmly on the ground, only half hoping to dislodge the main enemy.  
When nothing happened she turned to her entourage with concern,  
"I fear that the only way to lure out the being that controls these hands is to lure it out..."  
Even though they knew it to be the wisest course of action, none of them were very eager to play the role of bait.

Link stalked slowly around another prone hand, watching it for any tell-tale signs of assault.  
There were none, prompting the hero into his default course of action:

When in doubt, throw a bomb.

The green-clad man lit the fuse of the circular explosive and tossed it towards the extruding limb; it sprang to life with lightening reflexes and caught the bomb midflight.  
Knowing of the impending explosion, Link stepped backwards and raised his shield in preparation.

Neither Sheik nor Zelda had been watching this however, so when they heard a blast from behind them they both span around in shock – receiving a face full of rotting flesh.  
Shade applauded lavishly from his spot against the back wall, delighted with the turn of events.  
Sheik was not so amused.

"What in Hyrule do you think you're doing! If you're going to explode something then tell us first, idiot!" He screeched, wiping the gunk out of his hair.  
Link stifled a laugh – Sheik looked so funny glaring and covered in Farore knows what!  
"Well it worked didn't it?"  
"That's not the point hero, and you know it!"

Zelda was dealing with the mess a little more elegantly; simply removing her cloak and using it to wipe her face clean.  
She couldn't mask the look of revulsion on her face though.  
Link finally snorted in laughter – Sheik looked exactly like a child throwing a tantrum!  
What was visible of his face was bright red and his body was completely tense with rage; fists clenched in two tight balls.

"Sheik is correct, Link." The princess sighed, deciding to intervene in what could easily turn into a blazing row, "It was very dangerous – you could have hurt either yourself or one of us."

Shade was still hooting with cold laughter.

Link shuffled his feet a little and looked at the floor.  
He hadn't thought about it like that; it was a bit stupid of him to not tell the others first – but his pride refused to let him back down,  
"Well sorry for actually doing something! You're right; we should probably just stay down here all night and hope that the lens of truth comes to us!"  
Sheik took a few angry steps forwards,  
"Hero, you know that's –"

The argument would have continued on for a while longer if the arm, previously blasted apart and strewn around the room in segments, had not begun to move; every scrap of decimated flesh and bone crawling backwards to its former place, reconstructing itself.

Sheik turned back to the hero with a snide look on his partially visible face,  
"What was that you said about it working?"  
Link felt his cheeks flush but was prevented from saying anything by a harsh rumble from the ground behind him.  
The Ordonian took a step back, spinning around to get a better look at what was causing the noise.

Another dismembered hand erupted from the ground, unexpectedly catching the hero by his hair and lifting him off the ground in one fluid movement.  
Zelda gave a cry of alarm, drawing her sword and rushing towards her captured friend.  
Sheik gave a feral snarl and leapt onto the arm; straddling the appendage and attempting to pry the icy fingers away from the hero, who was grunting in pain.  
Link's scalp felt like it was on fire, burning in protest at holding the hero's weight off of the ground.

The princess reached the arm and swung her weapon at it repeatedly, hoping to hack it in half but to no avail – her efforts were met with a metallic clang as the appendage repelled her futile attacks.  
She groaned in frustration, trying to think of a way to save her friend.  
Swords didn't work, and a bomb at such close range would do more harm than good!

Once again, a pre-emptive rumble announced the emergence of yet another hand.  
It lunged for the furious Sheikah, successfully catching him by the foot and dragging him away from the squirming hero.

Sheik kicked at the hand.  
Its grip was too tight to wriggle free of, and regular attacks didn't seem to have an effect.  
He could feel the blood rushing to his head as he dangled upside down.  
The room was starting to spin.  
Adrenaline rushed through his veins, heightening his senses.  
The dead hand was ice cold and clammy, smelling strongly of damp earth – the touch of impending death.  
The captured teen forced his stomach muscles into wrenching himself upright so that he could reach his trapped leg, vainly attempting to pry the sharp fingers away and ignoring the thick rivulets of blood making tracks down his calf.

Zelda, recognising the futility of her onslaught, froze in place and tried to think of a way to free her companions.  
Mindlessly attacking them wouldn't help, but she also wouldn't help by standing there doing nothing!

She was frightened.  
She couldn't think!  
She was breathing heavily.  
Her legs were trembling.  
Her hands were shaking.  
Her mouth felt dry.  
She was -

"Zelda, behind you!" Link choked through his pain, intent on warning his friend on the approaching danger.  
The princess snapped out of her thoughts and span around, finding herself confronted with a monster she had never seen before.

A gelatinous, fleshy mess which stood as tall as Sheik emerged from the dank earth – deathly white and stained with crusted blood.  
Two weak looking arms protruded oddly from its bloated sides, resting awkwardly in front of it like a praying mantis.  
An abnormally long spindly neck was all that supported its head; empty, sightless sockets where eyes should have been glared blindly at the party.  
The thing that caught Zelda's attention most however, was its mouth.  
As the creature waddled clumsily towards them, it's lower jaw unhinged dramatically to show rows of overgrown, flat teeth glinting in the torchlight.

Zelda's sense of urgency increased. She had to help her friends before this thing got to them!  
With one desperate swing of her sword, the princess tore through Link's hair and released him from his prison.

The hero fell to the floor with a yelp and gingerly patted his raw scalp.  
When his hand retreated it was bloody from both having his hair ripped out and from Zelda's dodgy aim with her sword.  
The arm that had been holding him seemed to sense that its prey had escaped and released the remaining clumps of the Ordonians blond hair.

The approaching monster paused, acknowledging its prey's escape, and turned instead to the arm that held the Sheikah.  
Link noticed this and, ignoring the thumping pain in his head, clambered to his feet, unsheathed his sword and charged at it.  
He couldn't let it hurt Sheik!

Zelda however, was quicker to reach the sagging monster – slashing it with her long sword and leaving deep lacerations in its decaying flesh.  
It howled in pain, gaping jaw stretching an almost unfathomable distance.  
Almost automatically, the hand holding the Sheikah released, sending the teen crashing to the musty earth below.

Link joined in the assault, swinging his blade at the retreating creature.  
There was no blood, just deep slices in the monsters defenseless body as though it had all dried up eons ago – it was like attacking a living corpse.  
With a shrill scream, it vanished safely into the ground.

Sheik stumbled to his feet, fighting the wave of vertigo and nausea that came from being hung upside down.  
Another arm sprung up beside him, cold fingers grasping blinding for him.  
He dodged clumsily, still dizzy, but managed to reach his companions.  
There was time to rest later.

"We need finish this soon!" Zelda breathed heavily, "The longer this battle lasts, the more these hands are going to appear."  
True to her word, another limb erupted from below them, making the trio jump backwards to evade.  
The princess was exhausted through physical exertion and terror.  
She had never been in a battle such as this and it was taking its toll.  
Her face was almost as pale as their attacker and covered in a thin layer of sweat, matting her fine hair together.

Sheik crouched low, preparing to evade any forthcoming attacks.  
They had to lure that monster out of hiding if they were going to have any hope of killing it, which meant getting captured again.  
Sheik only had a limited knowledge of magic, and if there were any helpful spells Zelda would have probably used them by now.  
He couldn't see any other way around it...

"Hero!" he called out to the Ordonian, who had pulled the princess away from yet another groping hand, "I have an idea, but you're gonna have to trust me!"

Link didn't even have to hesitate,  
"Alright! What do I do?"  
Sheik flipped backwards to avoid a flailing limb, ducking left and right as the multitude of assailants grew.

"First, get the princess away from all of the arms!" Sheik shouted, his voice unsteady as his movements became more and more sluggish.  
He was getting tired. He needed to end this soon!

Link did as the Sheikah asked, hurrying Zelda to the walls of the room near to Shade and instructing her to remain as still as possible, hopefully the monster wouldn't notice her.  
The young hero frowned as he noticed Shade's high pitched cackle – how could he get such pleasure from their distress?  
Were the situation not so dire, Link would have put an end to his laughter once and for all – but Sheik was still dodging the increasing number of arms.

Not wasting any time, Sheik hurried over to the hero to explain the rest of his plan,  
"I'm going to lure that thing out. It's up to you to finish it off with a bomb-arrow before it gets too close to me."  
Link was not at all happy with letting the Sheikah put himself in danger, but time was of the essence.  
The flaxen-haired teen's plan made sense, bombs caused more damage than swords and everyone needed this battle to finish soon.  
Nevertheless, it gave the hero a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach – like something was going to go wrong, and that he shouldn't let the younger man place himself in harm's way.

Not for their sake.  
Not for _his_ sake.

Link reluctantly buried his concern and nodded his understanding.  
As quickly as he could, the hero made his way to the periphery of the room, finding the perfect place from which he could execute their plan.  
Sheik would play his role perfectly, the rest was in his own hands – he would show the Sheikah that his trust was not misplaced!

Sheik smiled softly after the retreating form, but turned away and headed for the nearest arm.  
He knew he could rely on the older man, even if he wasn't the same man he had loved so passionately in his previous life.  
Just for this moment, he wanted to imagine it was Link he had been staring at, not Hero.

Once again the Sheikah felt the cold grip latch onto him. This time it caught him awkwardly by the shoulder and made him dangle uncomfortably.  
For a few moments nothing happened.  
The monster did not arise from its hiding place, and the disembodied hands drifted this way and that as though sensing the presence of other attackers in the chamber.  
When neither Link nor Zelda were discovered by the appendages, the distorted creature burst from its hiding place in the damp earth and waddled towards the Sheikah.

From his captured position Sheik could not fully see the monster, but relied on his unparalleled senses to locate it.  
It was close, but not quite close enough for the hero to consider not unleashing a bomb-arrow!

True to his word, Link lit the fuse on his selected bomb and aimed.  
The bowstring was pulled taut by expert fingers.  
The handle quivered with barely contained tension.  
A bead of sweat made its way down Link's brow – he could not afford to miss this shot!  
The green clad man released the arrow, sending it speeding towards its target with a triumphant smile.

His victory was short lived however, as a disembodied arm reached out and intercepted the projectile before it could get near the blind monster.  
When the bomb arrow exploded, it did not even touch the creature that was still moving towards the Sheikah.

Sheik tried to peer behind him, figuring out why there was no accompanying scream alongside the explosion but it was useless, the grip on his shoulder was like a vice.  
Out of the corner of his eye, the struggling teen could just about see the blood stained monster – why had it not been killed?  
Had the hero missed?  
Realizing that he had better abort the plan Sheik attempted to wrench his shoulder free, gasping in pain as sharp nails carved crescents deep into his skin.

Link rushed forward.  
Their enemy was too close to Sheik to attack it again with bomb arrows, and the teen was helpless.  
All because of him.  
He had failed the younger male, who had trusted him with his life.  
The living corpse opened its lax jaws wide, neck protruding to reach Sheik's exposed neck.  
He wasn't going to reach him in time!  
The hero forced his legs to run faster but fear made them feel like dead weights.  
Blunt teeth were already looming over squirming flesh teasingly.

Link could imagine what was about to happen even as he ran:  
The beast would clamp its teeth over Sheik's quickening pulse, severing his jugular vein.  
Blood, thick and crimson, would explode from the wound.  
The Sheikah would scream, swarthy skin paling and turn his blood red gaze onto him.  
Accusing eyes saying all that needed to be said: 'this is your fault!'

No!  
Link couldn't let that happen!  
He would to reach the teen or die trying!

Sheik struggled in the hand's grasp.  
The white mass behind him was so close that he was choking on its foul breath.  
He bucked his legs backwards, attempting to repel the monster; however its neck was long enough to keep its body away from the Sheikah's savage kicks while feasting on flesh that it had been starved of for hundreds of years.  
The teen closed his eyes, preparing for the fatal bite that was surely about to follow – but it was not he who unleashed a scream of agony.

Link had leapt between the Sheikah and his assailant, the blunt teeth sinking deep into his bicep and lower shoulder with a sickening crunch.  
The teeth may have been blunt, but had gnawed themselves thickly and deeply into the hero's flesh with the force of a rolling Goron.  
The hero's eyes rolled to the back of his head and fought to remain conscious; the pressurized blood spurting from the punctures was only partially suppressed by the monster, which was still latched onto the Ordonian's arm.

Link felt very tired all of a sudden, and sleep was starting to sound like the best idea he'd had all day.  
His eyelids felt heavy and fluttered closed momentarily – being kept open only by Zelda's screams and the dulling pain in his shoulder.

Why was she shouting again?  
Ah yes, he was injured...

The faint hero lifted his sword with great effort and swung it into the monster's flaccid flank.  
It howled in pain and released its grip on Link's arm, the now unconscious hero collapsing to the floor.  
Once again the arm holding Sheik captive relaxed in synchronization with its master's pain, allowing the enraged Sheikah to wield the fallen hero's blade and hack manically into the gelatinous mass.  
The monster wailed and screeched in distress, unable to escape from the teens' wrath.  
For once, Sheik had not adopted any particular fighting style – all he knew was that Link was hurt and that this thing had to pay for it.  
Zelda had already hurried over to the unconscious man and was treating him with shaking, expert hands.

The monster was no longer moving and the disembodied hands had fallen to the floor in a sudden rigor mortis – the thing was dead, and yet Sheik couldn't seem to stop attacking its corpse.  
All of his raw, all-consuming emotions were focused on utterly destroying the scum that had dared to hurt his hero.  
If left to his own devices Sheik would have hacked the cadaver into a fine mush, but Zelda was calling for his help and Link was his number one priority.

"He is losing blood alarmingly fast," Zelda informed him in medic mode, although her trembling voice betrayed her, "We need to stop the bleeding before he goes into shock."  
"Press down just above and on the wound as much as possible, I need to check his pulse..."  
Sheik did as he was told, nervously forcing is palms against the fresh gore.

Shade strolled over, bored now that the battle was over and peered despondently at the hero's prone form.  
"I say we leave him," the creature sneered, irritated by the attention Link had gotten after his sacrificial stunt, "He's served his purpose and from the look of that wound he's a goner anyway."  
Sheik, keeping the pressure on Link's bicep, kicked backwards and hit the creature directly in the groin – no way was he going to listen to Shade's taunts when the hero was bleeding out on them.

Zelda seemed to be thinking along the same lines,  
"Make yourself useful and fetch me some red potion from my cloak and get the 'lens of truth' – we need to get him medical attention!"

............................................................................................................................................................

Galk marched up and down the row of his newly assigned troops.  
He had never been in command of so many people before – this could only be described as a platoon.  
Ever since enlisting in the Hylian army he the former guard had longed for a promotion – complained about it to his beautiful wife.  
How ironic that he had gotten what he had wished for at the expense of what he cherished most.

A gloved hand patted him on the shoulder.  
The new ruler of Hyrule stood beside him with a calculating look on his face.  
Galk wasn't sure if he trusted that look, but decided it didn't matter.  
Nothing mattered anymore apart from avenging his family.

"May the Goddesses watch over you on your journey my friend," The dark haired ruler said solemnly, "I hope that your quest is successful one."  
"It will be my lord, as long as there is breath in my body I shall not rest until Zelda's head rots on a spike."  
Dennik smirked inwardly,  
"I am glad to hear it!"

Everything was going according to plan so perfectly!  
It had been worth his effort to have this man's family slaughtered after all, as he was proving to be a magnificent pawn.  
Admittedly the Nosferatu who had been to 'play' with Galk's family had gone a little overboard, leaving very few distinguishable remains to be buried at the kakariko grave site – presumably the former guard's first stop on his quest.

How disgustingly simple minded it was to bury people who were little more than tools in life and carrion after their purposes had been served!  
Dennik didn't understand the notion of respect for the dead whatsoever.  
He thought it was foolish and sentimental.

"Galk my friend," The ruler began, "There is something I would like to share with you about your new warriors."  
The guard looked at the ebony haired man, only half curious.  
"You see, these too are victims of the cruelty of our previous monarch.  
Zelda has secretly persecuted their race for generations, wiping out entire clans, communities, and families for sport."  
Galk frowned in sorrow at the mention of families – so these men shared his pain?  
"They are now our greatest ally in reforming our once mighty kingdom, and I entrust them to you in the hope that you will aid me in carving out a new era in Hylian history!"

Galk nodded contentedly, the glory he could live without but he would not allow the princess to commit any more atrocities.  
While it was not in his nature to harm anyone, he would decimate Zelda and any who stood alongside her – to not would be an insult to Elysse and Elmya's memory.

............................................................................................................................................................

Link's blue eyes fluttered open slowly.  
He felt as though he had been sleeping for a long time, although not restfully.  
He tried to sit upright, but winced at the sharp pain in his shoulder; it was bandaged with several thick layers of gauze making it seem much bulkier than normal.

The hero was lying on a comfortable bed surrounded by clean white linen, the sunshine gently falling through the open window.  
The hero raised a hand to rub the sleep from his eyes – or at least tried to, as his hand was being held by a sleeping Sheik who was curled up on the floor besides him.

Link flushed a deep scarlet at the sight of the Sheikah's sleeping face.  
He looked troubled and peaceful at the same time – the face of a boy who had seen not only too much sadness, but an excess of joy also.  
Link vaguely wondered if he looked the same when he slept, but he sincerely doubted that his own visage could look as radiant as the Sheikah's in the morning sun.  
The tan skin glowing in the sunrise, soft hair shimmering in waves of pure gold.

In only a few moments Link had decided that he would rather be injured a thousand times over if it meant he could see Sheik's exquisite face when he woke up each day, and went to sleep each night.  
If only that were possible, he would be the happiest man in the world.

It was with a reluctant mind that Link roused the slumbering teen, softly shaking his shoulder.  
Deep pools of crimson dawned from beneath heavily lashed lids, widening further at the hero's conscious state.  
"Hero, the princess said you'd take at least another day to awaken!"  
Link snorted slightly, his head felt a little painful and was thankful that Sheik had not raised his voice any louder than a whisper,  
"If I'm meant to be up tomorrow, then why are you here?"

Sheik flushed and stuttered a badly improvised excuse, much to the Ordonians amusement.  
The Sheikah released a breath he hadn't even realised he had been holding and asked the question he had longed to hear an answer to,  
"Why... why did you take that injury in my place?"

Link shifted in his sheets,  
"Why wouldn't I? You're my..."  
The hero paused and looked away momentarily, making the Sheikah's heart race.  
Just what was he to the young hero?  
"You're my... comrade, and you're important to me."

Sheik smiled at the hero, but inside he felt his stomach clench.  
Why had that hurt?  
Just what had he been expecting anyway?  
Why was he feeling so disappointed, so rejected, so numbed?  
Link seemed to pick up on the changed atmosphere,  
"Besides, I didn't have anything to lose. I've already lost my hair!"

Sheik snorted, in quiet laughter.  
How like him to make the best of a situation; his hair didn't look very different from usual, it just had a few more layers in the top.  
It actually looked quite good, more mature – it suited him somewhat.  
The Sheikah could remember all too well the rush of emotions that coursed through his veins when he had seen Link lying motionless on the earthy floor, and vowing that next time, it would be he protecting the hero.

Almost instinctively, Sheik rested his hand on the golden locks and smiled gently at the bed ridden man,  
"It suits you... hero."  
Link smiled placidly in return, leaning into the warm hand before they both caught themselves and pulled away embarrassed.

The flushing Sheikah quickly paced to the other side of the room, intent on avoiding anymore unnecessary contact,  
"It's just a shame about the face... and your idiocy."

Link frowned slightly.  
What was wrong with his face?  
He knew he was a good looking man, not to mention that he was apparently the spitting image of Sheik's first love.  
The hero felt his chest burn.

What was it that predecessor had that he didn't?

In that moment, Link had a realisation so vivid, it was as though he had been struck by lightning – that this visually stunning, eternally feisty, sometimes infuriating, and perfectly flawed man was exactly what he had been longing for in his life.  
Sheik had irrevocably changed him, for better or for worse, and no amount of denial would ever erase the feeling that Link could finally name.

The Goddesses knew it, the princess knew it, and even the creature spying on the pair with malicious intent knew it.

The only one who didn't seem to notice was Sheik.

............................................................................................................................................................

A/N: Finally, one of them gets it! Congratulations to anyone who guessed correctly – the monster was indeed a deadhand! To those of you who didn't guess right, I'm thankful that you sent in a review. Seriously, they keep me going! To those magnificent people who review every single chapter: I can't express how much I love you all! You actually make my life awesome! I hope that I continue to please you all with my insane drivel ;)  
The kick to the ball bags for shade is from one such reviewer – I managed to work it in!


	9. Chapter 9: Contrition

**Origins: Chapter 9**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: I am so, so, so sorry for my FOUR MONTH absence! There is an explanation as to why I was gone for so long – and I will explain fully to anyone who messages me demanding an explanation. To make a long story short I got some firsthand experience of how Sheik feels and I didn't feel emotionally ready to continue this story in the way that I originally planned it, I didn't want to change my planned events as most of the chapters have been working towards his particular event so I waited until I felt more comfortable about picking this back up again.  
That aside, Link and Zelda may seem rather touchy-feely in the beginning; this is because I feel I've glossed over their friendship in other chapters and I have plans for it later on – This isn't going to be a ZeLink fic! XD  
OH! And I love reviews and I want to reply to all of them, but some of you don't sign in when you do it – Is there still a way to respond to them? Anyone know?

WARNINGS: Language, pervy!Link, creature, bit of gore

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

...

Link ran his fingers over the lens of truth, the cold metal giving welcome relief from the sweltering afternoon sun.  
It had been three days since he had awakened in kakariko village; three days of bed rest, boredom, and medication thanks to Renado's meticulous care.  
Naturally those three days happened to be the hottest three days of the year, and were therefore not the best of days to be locked away in a stuffy room.  
While the placid Shaman was a good friend of his and a very capable physician, Link was pretty sure he would not in fact drop dead from leaving his room as the man seemed to think.  
His many escape attempts had been thwarted by an ever watchful Zelda and occasionally Shade, who was revelling in Link's obvious distress – the bastard!

The hero huffed and returned to playing with the lens, gripping the handle and twirling it around with his thumb and index finger.  
The Sheikan artefact was a lot smaller than he had expected – only about the size of a hand mirror, but its deep purple hue seemed to glisten with latent power.  
The familiar design of the 'all-seeing eye' stared back at him from where it had been engraved in the otherwise invisible centre of the lens.

Zelda had brought it by his room earlier that day when she had come to inspect his injuries – she too seemed to agree with Link's involuntary confinement, claiming that he could easily make his wounds worse by 'exerting unnecessary energy'.

The Ordonian was not an indoors person and hated being cooped up for even an hour, let alone seventy-two!  
He was practically tearing his hair out!  
The only consolation was that he had received a small army of well-wishers and aficionados including several Gorons, who had patted him heartily on the back with all the force of a meteor – resulting in yet another day of imprisonment.

Link doubted that he would have minded so much had he received a visit from Sheik; however the teen hadn't visited since the hero had woken up.  
It felt more than a little lonely – especially after the hero had realised his feelings for the other man.  
At times like this the Ordonian craved the Sheikahs presence; to hold him, talk to him, even fight with him if it meant he could see Sheik again.

Link couldn't help but wonder when he had become so reliant on Sheik presence. Everything felt dull and lifeless without his companion.  
Before the teen had come along, he had been perfectly happy by himself for long periods of time, weeks and months even.  
Well maybe not _perfectly_ happy, but he had managed.

When had that changed?  
When had he become so hooked on Sheik's quiet vivacity and expressive ruby eyes?  
When had he become so lost without his Sheikah fix?

Sheiks scent, his warmth, his touch.  
Everything about the younger man seemed to be fuel for his ravenous addiction, and without him Link would go crazy from the withdrawal.

The hero was snapped out of his musings by a soft rapping at his door, followed by Zelda's blond head peeping cautiously into the room.  
She smiled when she saw him awake and emerged fully from behind the wooden doorframe, holding a tray with a bowl of soup and a slice of bread,  
"I thought that you might have become hungry, so I brought you some Cuckoo soup."  
Link smiled gratefully, concealing his guilty disappointment.  
For a moment he had wished that Zelda had been Sheik...

He really was a miserable excuse for a friend.

The ever perceptive princess noticed something amiss with her comrade, and placed the tray of steaming food on a bedside table before settling herself on the bed next to the hero,  
"Link, what is wrong? Is your shoulder hurting you?"  
She reached over to gently examine the fresh bandages which concealed the deep bite marks in his arm and lower neck.  
"Nah its healing fine," Link sighed, shuffling aside slightly to give the princess more room on the bed, "It's just that... well..."

The Ordonian sighed labouredly.  
He wanted to tell Zelda about Sheik, he really did, but he didn't know if he was ready to confirm his feelings to another.  
He felt that if he spoke about it, then his feelings would no longer be so special. He wanted to keep private and personal everything that the Sheikah meant to him, at least for a while longer.

Unfortunately for Link, Zelda knew him better than even the hero himself knew, and pulled the starched sheets over them both as if they were children in a secret den before speaking softly to the young man,  
"Sheik has been visiting you, however he always says that you are asleep."  
"Well that's convenient..."  
"Not to mention that he has been rather busy over the last three days exploring the new limits on his magic with Shade and I."  
Link's eyes narrowed at the mention of the creature, distaste curling his lip slightly.  
"He has actually been very helpful," She continued, having expected such a reaction, "He too needs to discover his point of no return, lest he returns to clay."  
"What a shame that would be." Link muttered sarcastically, earning a fond elbow from his friend.  
"Before you say it, I have not left Sheik and Shade alone together to come here. In fact Telma arrived this morning and is keeping an eye on them at present."  
The princess gently bumped his hip with her own, her slim face playful,  
"Rest assured, I have been diligently looking after your love interest!"

Link flushed a bright red and turned his reclining body to face Zelda,  
"So you know then...?"  
"Link, I should think anyone who does not know to be blind, deaf and dumb. Everybody in a five mile radius knows!"  
"...even Sheik?"

The princess shifted uncomfortably under the sterile, white sheets covering them.  
"If he does know then I do not think that he would avoid you for it..." she spoke slowly and deliberately, carefully constructing every word,  
"If anything I believe that he needs to sort out his own feelings before facing yours. When you were injured in the well he was frantic – you scared both of us a lot. He most likely did not realise just how much he cared about you until that moment."

Link's heart hollowed and floated into his throat simultaneously.  
He could never regret getting hurt in Sheiks place, but once again he hadn't the foresight to consider how close he had come to death – and the last thing he wanted was for his friends to worry over him.  
However having Zelda affirm his hopes that Sheik felt something other than animosity towards him made him feel as light as air.

The Ordonian lifted his left hand vertically above him, tenting the sheets enveloping them and observed the triforce symbol shadowed on the back of his hand.  
He didn't feel particularly courageous as of late.  
If anything he felt weakened, completely at the mercy of the man who had captivated his heart.  
He had become conscious of the smallest things – was his hair alright? Would he stutter if he spoke?  
Surely love wasn't meant to be this terrifying!  
And he was meant to be the bravest in the land!

Once again Zelda intercepted his thoughts, bringing her own left hand up to join his and entwined her long fingers with his calloused ones,  
"Even heroes need saving sometimes Link, and there is no shame in being human. Now,"  
She sat upright and flung the sheets off of them, releasing the humid air that had built up during their conversation,  
"I suggest you eat that soup before it gets cold and I shall send Sheik up to collect your bowl; you can leave this room after you talk to him."

Link smiled at his princess,  
"Let me guess, you're off to talk to Telma about what's been going on in Castle town right?"  
"My people are in danger; I need to know everything that I can in order to help them."  
"Doesn't mean you can't take a break every once in a while...!" the hero sighed, exasperated at his friend's foolishly persistent dedication.  
Zelda picked up the food laden tray and placed it firmly on the hero's lap, not liking the direction that the conversation was taking.

"Thank you for the concern Link," She assured him gently, "However I cannot simply abandon my duties just because I have abandoned my title. Now eat your soup and get well soon!"  
Link almost retorted that she had hardly 'abandoned' her title as monarch, but held his tongue and looked concernedly at his friend; easily noticing the drag in her steps and the darkening bags under her eyes that had been present ever since their rendezvous in Telma's bar.  
She was tiring, and they both knew it.  
"Maybe one day you should try your own advice," The hero muttered after the princesses retreating form,

"I'm not the only human here you know."

...

When Sheik finally went to collect Link's empty bowl it was early evening; the embers of the day beginning to smoulder into a cloudy night.  
He crept slowly up the stairs, hoping that the hero had fallen asleep so that he could once again enter undetected as he had done several times before.

The flaxen-haired teen felt bad about steering clear of Link during his waking hours, but he couldn't bring himself to see him.  
Every time Sheik gazed upon that peacefully sleeping face his heart would beat a little faster; his stomach would turn to lead and churn up a sickly, acrid sensation which would force him to exit the room without waking the slumbering hero.  
The Sheikah couldn't bear to see Link again – not until he was healed at least.

He knew that they'd have to see each other again, they were travelling together after all; but it felt too awkward to be alone with Link – especially since his injury was Sheiks fault in the first place.  
He should have anticipated that the plan to destroy the deadhand could have gone wrong and thought of a backup plan.  
He should have done something – anything differently to avoid causing Link that pain.  
Sheik shuddered from the memory of the taller man limp on the floor, blood spurting from the pressurised artery in his neck that the monster had unfortunately caught.  
He had gone so pale so quickly...  
It was a miracle that the bite hadn't been deeper, or else even Zelda would not have been able to save him.

Even after all of that, Link had regained consciousness with that clumsy lopsided smile of his.  
It should have reassured Sheik but it hadn't; guilt only worsened by the warm smile and gentle manner in which the hero had treated him.  
It made him feel sick – how could he forgive so easily the man who had almost caused his death?

The stair beneath the teen's foot creaked loudly.  
Sheik winced and cursed inwardly.  
Had the hero heard that?  
Could that have woken him up?  
Maybe he should come back later...

_No_, Sheik admonished himself, _he deserves better than this! Just carry on, you coward! If he's awake then you can apologise and get things back to normal again._

The sheikah sighed deeply and continued to ascend the stairs, cursing the loudly groaning wood.  
On all of his other visits the hardwood flooring hadn't made anything more than a low murmur; if Sheik were a little more paranoid then he would probably think his silent journey was being sabotaged...  
But that was nonsense; the floor had most likely been weakened by the stream of Goron visitors Link had received.

The blonde teen could feel his heart beating faster as he neared the door to the hero's chamber:  
_Ba_-**dump**.  
Three steps.  
_Ba_-**dump**. _Ba_-**dump**.  
two steps.  
_Ba_-**dump**. _Ba_-**dump**. _Ba_-**dump**.  
one step.  
_Ba_-**dump**. _Ba_-**dump**. _Ba_-**dump**. _Ba_-**dump**.  
Twist the door handle.  
_Ba_-**dump**, _Ba_-**dump**, _Ba_-**dump**, _Ba_-**dump**, _Ba_-**dump**.  
Open the door.  
_Ba_-**dump**_Ba_-**dump**_Ba_-**dump**_Ba_-**dump**_Ba_-**dump**_Ba_-**dump**_Ba_-**dump**_Ba_-

Link was sleeping peacefully, soft snores pervading the not-quite-evening quiet.

The Ordonian slept like a log, of course he wouldn't have been woken up by one creaky floorboard!  
The heat must be going to his head...  
Sheik crept into Links room, skirting around the walls just in case there were anymore loose floorboards lying in wait before stopping at the bedside table to collect his goal.  
Suddenly, the Sheikah stood stock still, listening intently and eyes fixed on the slumbering hero.

Something wasn't right.  
Sheik's honed senses had started up a dull throb in the back of his head – telling him to think again about the situation.  
Ruby eyes fluttered this way and that, taking in the scenery.

The soup that had been left unfinished in the bowl hadn't formed a skin, even though the princess had taken it up several hours ago – it had only been eaten recently.  
The sleeping hero's breathing, while slow and even upon first hearing, seemed to hitch slightly every so often and his eyelashes were twitching.  
Furthermore the linen sheets were spread smoothly over Link's form, looking as though he had hurriedly pulled them over him rather than curling them around him as he usually did.

Conclusion: The hero was awake.

Sheik was caught somewhere between fond humour and insulted pride – as if anyone could fool a member of the Sheikan race!  
In the end he settled for a swift thwack to the hero's head.

Link shot up as though he had been electrocuted,  
"OW! What was that for!"  
"For trying to fool me. I suppose you were going to try and scare me?"  
The Ordonian grumbled at the loss of his master plan before silence descended upon them. Sheik shuffled his feet and looked away.  
This was every bit as uncomfortable as he had predicted. He missed their old, temperamental dynamic.  
Anything was better than this awkward awareness.  
It was like waking up with a new limb and trying to become accustomed to its presence: Going on as normal but every so often catching sight of it and feeling a disconcerting sense of unease.  
Something had changed between them, their proverbial limbs keeping them both from any semblance of comfort in the others presence.

Link coughed slightly and patted the space on the bed next to him,  
"Well, sit down then."  
"I'd rather stand." Sheik snapped quickly, inwardly smacking himself at the hero's kicked puppy expression.  
_He's just trying to be nice, why am I being so sharp with him?  
_Wordlessly the Sheikah sat on the edge of the bed despite his harsh words, the close proximity was uncomfortable but Sheik owed the older man at least this much.

"So I hear you've been training yourself in magic?" Link tried again to start a conversation with the reticent Sheikah.  
"I have. Unfortunately the most I can manage at the moment are basic power-enhancing spells and weak healing charms which seemed only to affect my clothing."  
Link looked the younger man up and down. Sure enough, Sheik's exoskeleton was looking much less ragged then it had done previously; the various cuts that he had acquired throughout their journey had been drawn together, although it looked no cleaner.  
Come to think of it, neither did Sheik himself.  
His previously lustrous flaxen locks were lank and clung to his head in slightly greasy clumps, and what little skin was visible had patches of stubborn dirt dried on.  
What worried him most though was the look in Sheik's eyes – dull and wilting, like Zelda's had been.

"Hey Sheik, when was the last time you took a bath?"  
The Sheikah huffed and shuffled further away from the Hero,  
"It's a little difficult to take bathe when there's someone watching! Shade hasn't left me alone since we got here and I am not getting undressed with him sniffing around!"

Link laughed hollowly at the indignation in the teen's voice.  
He hadn't forgotten about Shade and his deal, not by a long shot. The reminder that the fiend had been so close to Sheik made the hero flush with rage.  
Should he tell the younger man about the creature's proposition or should he just keep an extra close eye on them for now, maybe he should talk to Zelda?  
The Ordonian looked again at the miserable expression in those crimson eyes and decided.  
He wouldn't say anything, not right now. Sheik didn't need even more stress and neither did his princess.  
Link doubted that Shade would do anything drastic whilst under his supervision anyway; and right now his first priority was getting Sheik that bath!

"How about I distract Shade for you while you get a bath? I want a word with him anyway."  
Sheik looked up in surprise,  
"Are you sure about that, Hero? I wouldn't wish him upon anyone – not even you."  
"Sure. If you start smelling more then you already do I'll chuck you into the spring myself!" He laughed, ignoring the 'even you' jibe with forced joviality.

Sheik smiled behind his cowl. He had missed the hero a surprising amount, and it really was very generous of him to distract Shade...  
Still...

Link was being too kind to someone who didn't deserve it. Too noble.  
Something deep inside of the Sheikah wanted to grab the hero by his collar and shake him, scream at him, hate him!  
And somewhere a little deeper still, Sheik wanted Link to do the same to him.  
_Blame me! Tell me it's my fault you got hurt so I don't have to!_

Link stretched his arms across himself and rose from the bed that had nursed him for the last three days,  
"I'll go find that bastard then!"_  
"_Hero, wait!"_  
Apologise! Now! Before he leaves!_  
Link paused and looked at the Sheikah expectantly.  
"I just... I wanted to say..."  
_Say you're sorry! Just tell him!  
_The Ordonian turned around fully, cornflower blue meeting piercing red.  
"I'm..."  
_I'm sorry! Just say it!  
_Sheik sighed in resignation,  
"I wanted to say thank you. You know, for taking care of Shade."  
_Pathetic. _  
Link just smiled at him, one of his contented and accepting smiles before walking out of the door.

Secretly, both were a little disappointed with what Sheik had said.

...

"Renado honey, are you sure you don't want any help in the kitchen?"  
"Thank you kindly Telma, but you are a guest here. I could not possibly ask you to work."  
The heavy-set woman simply fluttered her thick eyelashes at the shaman from across the room, oblivious to the fact that the only thing her flirting was attracting was exasperation,  
"there's nothing that can't be made better with a... _woman's touch_... y'know."

Link was trying his best to disguise his chuckles as a bad cough, but between Zelda's similar throat problems and Renado's scandalised expression he knew he was fighting a losing battle.  
Shade was sat moodily in the corner expertly sharpening his sword and casting threatening looks between Link and Zelda – a fact that the Ordonian didn't fail to notice.  
Clearly the creature was angry about something; Link hadn't had to distract his doppelganger as he had previously thought, he was simply being watched by the other man's oddly glinting eyes ever since Sheik had departed.  
Shade hadn't even tried to follow the Sheikah.

That in itself was an ominous sign.

"Renado honey! Where're you going!" Telma squealed as the tall shaman shuffled 'discretely' out of the room – well, the more accurate term would have been 'fled' from Telma's voracious love.  
The busty barmaid fanned herself excitedly whilst giggling like a young girl,  
"He's playing hard to get, the sly thing! I never knew he was so... _saucy_!"  
Zelda couldn't hold in her laughter any longer and choked inelegantly on her glass of milk; for a moment it seemed to Link that his friend had regained some of the sparkle that she had had before this whole adventure had begun – but only for a moment, and her eyes regained their troubled glaze.

"So Telma, how long have you known Renado?" The princess asked, composing herself with the efficiency that could only belong to a member of the royal family.  
"Well that's a long story hun," Telma said with a flourish, "I first saw him when I was a headstrong teenager – you'll be glad to know I've mellowed out a lot since then!"  
Link and Zelda exchanged a look. 'Mellow' was defiantly not the word that sprung to mind when one thought of the Gerudo landlady.  
"He'd come passing through my camp with his father. It was rare to get visitors, especially such handsome ones," at this Telma's eyes turned glassy with nostalgia, "I couldn't help but follow him into Hyrule! That man taught me a lot about never judging a book by its cover, honey!"  
"Why is that?" Link enquired, genuinely interested.

Telma giggled again, her face flushing as red as her hair,  
"On the outside he can seem a little prudish, but between you and me..."  
She leaned closer to her captive audience, allowing the hero and princess to catch a nose full of strong perfume,  
"_Under the sheets that man is a stallion!"_

Link felt another emotional scar emerging.

Telma took a generous mouthful of her (most likely alcoholic) drink and smiled softly to herself, eyes foggy with reminiscence,  
"But like so many other romances it didn't last, and the Goddesses had other plans for us. I went to Castle Town to earn my living whilst he remained here and started a family with another woman. She died in childbirth some five years later and left him with Luda, I did my best to help them out but it was never the same. In the end I couldn't stay here and be a replacement wife to Renado, and I certainly couldn't be a mother to that little girl – even if sometimes I wished I was."

Telma paused and gave a drunken hiccup before continuing her story,  
" It was a very dark time for us all, an' I hated that woman for so long for leaving them alone and broken when I would've given _anything_ to have been in her place. My bile towards her was destroying me, if I'd have held onto my jealousy any longer I would've lost myself completely... and what point is there in envying the dead?  
...but don't look so sad hun,"  
The barmaid exclaimed with a boisterous chortle, noticing her companions' expressions and reaching for more of her drink - prompting Zelda to silently move it out of reach, recognising that she'd had more than enough for the moment.  
"That was a long time ago, and I've no regrets – time moves on and so do people, everything changes but the past. For better or for worse, it's the only truth in this world honey."

The atmosphere in the room had sobered somewhat, everyone lost in their own thoughts.  
Telma had put down her glass now and closed her eyes, whether it was from suppressed sadness or from quiet acceptance Link didn't know – but he certainly saw the normally cheerful Gerudo barmaid in a whole new light.

He couldn't help but draw parallels between them both: envying the dead, obsessing over the past, pining for the attention of someone who had lost a lover...  
Somehow the Ordonian doubted that he could leave Sheik as Telma had left Renado, even if his jealousy towards his past self threatened to destroy him – he wasn't strong enough to do anything but follow Sheik to the ends of the earth.  
Whatever Sheik and his previous life had together was out of his control and centuries before his time, but the Ordonian couldn't just give up hope of his feelings one day being reciprocated.

"Link," Zelda said softly, "Will you go and fetch Sheik? I'd like to go through the information that Telma has given us and plan our journey from here as a group,"  
The green-clad hero nodded and exited the room, head bowed to give the two women privacy – pretending not to have seen the solitary tear that curved down Telma left cheek.

No one even noticed the creatures' absence.

...

Sheik ran his fingers across his bare face, drenching his features with the cool water.  
The moon was visible through the semi-permeable clouds, forcing the Sheikah to have set a lantern on the dry embankment next to his just washed clothes to dry them – its light transforming the rippling waters into a deceptively warm amber hue.  
It felt relaxing to put his guard down for a while, trusting the hero to keep any prying eyes away, especially the glowing red ones that stalked him everywhere he went.

He wouldn't lie and say that he felt anything more the hatred towards the creature, but at the same time there was something about the sinister enigma that he supposed was endearing. Not that he _liked_ the shadow but...  
He couldn't deny that Shade was a part of his Link – the only part of his original self still in existence... and that made him important to the crimson-eyed warrior.  
Even so, if the fact that Shade was a part of the original Link didn't stop Sheik from hating him...! But if that's the case then did that mean that what he felt towards Hero was independent of his feelings towards Link too...?

Just what _did_ he feel towards the hero anyways...?

The Sheikah groaned out of frustration and dove into the cavernous depths of the spirits spring, emerging with a low gasp and flipping his blond hair out of his face. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Wasn't it enough that he had to live without Link? Why were the Goddesses tormenting him with his love's reincarnation?

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a pair of loud footsteps and the glow of a fellow lantern quivering down the curving tunnel which led towards Sheik's bathing spot.  
Not wasting any time, the Sheikah fixed his cowl in place and dragged himself out of the water and into a fresh cloak, ignoring the thunderous splash of water that echoed around the area.  
The footsteps halted and the intruder announced himself in a familiar voice,  
"Sheik, are you decent? It's me, Link!"

The flaxen-haired warrior released a breath he didn't know he was holding and sat down on the cold floor, glad that it was the Hero and not anyone else – a thought which caused the teen to mentally scold himself.  
Why should he care if it was Hero or someone else?  
"It's okay," Sheik replied, not shouting but loud enough to be heard, "I'm just waiting for my clothes to dry."  
Sure enough a blonde head poked around the corner, a faint blush dusting across his cheeks and up to the tips of his pointed Hylian ears.  
A strong gust of wind flooded them both, causing Sheik to draw the thick cloak closer around his otherwise naked body and feeling suddenly self conscious.

"Zelda wants to talk to us all together, so once your clothes are dry... we'll ...err..." The hero coughed uncomfortably and looked away, the pink on his face deepening to a flustered red.

Sheik nodded in understanding,  
"Sit down if you want, we can come togeth- I mean _go_! We can... _go_ together... to meet the Princess I mean...!" The teen stammered, realising his Freudian slip a little too late.  
The hero thankfully, pretended not to notice Sheik's verbal error and plonked himself next to the flustered young warrior; far enough away to avoid physical contact but close enough that they could feel the heat radiating from each other.  
Sheik shivered, unsure whether the cold wind or the hero's proximity caused the involuntary action.

"Are you alright?" Link questioned the smaller man, brows knitted in concern, "I don't want you to catch a cold."  
The Sheikah huffed and looked pointedly away, his pride refusing to admit to such a thing – by Din, he could be in snowy Sueran right now and he'd still insist he was warmer then the Gerudo desert if it were the hero who had asked!

Link rolled his eyes at the crimson-eyed boy's stubborn actions, wrapping an arm around the Sheikah's shoulders and earning a sudden intake of breath from the smaller male as his flesh began to tingle all over.

_Okay,_ Sheik admitted internally, _I'm pretty sure the goosebumps are due to the hero and _not_ the wind...!  
_  
This was defiantly the most awkward he had felt around Sheik yet, Link decided as his arm wrapped around the delicate yet powerful frame of the younger warrior. He half wanted to remove his hand and move away, but at the same time he wanted to draw the Sheikah closer until there was no space between them at all.  
It was suddenly difficult to breathe properly, or even look at the Sheikah – but look he did, even if it was only through the corner of his eye.  
The grey cloak would be around knee length when Sheik stood up, but in his current sitting position with his knees drawn up to his chest for warmth the material covered only up to his thighs; revealing evenly tanned flesh and toned muscles which softly rubbed each other to generate heat in a sensual dance.  
Elegant fingers protruded from long sleeves to play with each other, entwining and caressing themselves bashfully as if aware of the intrusive gaze upon them.  
Thick dark eyelashes fluttered open and closed, masking the piercing crimson orbs in a seductive game of hide-and-seek and fanning the brown marble pillars that were the teen's cheek bones.  
Rivers of damp gold embraced the Sheikah's face and neck, rivulets of water following every contour of Sheiks face towards the cavernous wonders below his offensive clothing, making Link wish he could chase after them with his tongue and explore what treasure awaited him there...

How was it possible for there to be such perfection in one body?  
Link wanted to see more, to adventure further into that uncharted territory and cherish each and every thing that he found there.

"Hey, Sheik," The hero began, relieved that his voice didn't squeak like it did back when his voice first broke, "Why do you wear that mask? Is it a Sheikah tradition?"

Sheik hummed thoughtfully, unconsciously leaning further into the Ordonians arms as he got more accustomed to the intimate gesture,  
"I suppose you could call it that, although it's not mandatory. My mentor, Impa never wore one unless she was on a mission."  
"So how come you wear one?" Link persisted, intent on getting an answer out of his companion.  
"The masks are given to us once we earn the title of Sheikah warrior around the age of five as a symbol of our unity. Because we live to serve the royal family, there is no need for us to have an individual identity. In the old days we weren't even allowed names and were just referred to as 'Sheikah'. The only time we remove our masks is when we are with the one person who gives us an identity: as a wife or husband usually, but lovers works just as well."

Link frowned slightly at the custom, but he supposed it made about as much sense as any other crazy Sheikan tradition,  
"So the only time you remove your mask is around your lover? Why not just leave it off like your mentor did, surely it's more convenient?"  
Sheik flushed slightly,  
"Impa was quite rebellious for a Sheikah, she didn't wear an exoskeleton either. However I quite like the mask custom, it's..."  
The teen looked away embarrassed, making Link grin and prod him lightly in the side,  
"Go on, why do you like it?"  
Sheik murmured something very quietly, making Link prod him again as if to say 'louder'.

"...It's romantic. There. Happy now?"  
"Very." Link chuckled, storing the information for later reference and commenting to himself that Sheik was being really quite cute tonight.

There was a question that was bugging the hero however, and curiosity insisted that he ask it against his better judgement,  
"Did you ever take off your mask to anyone."  
Sheik's eyes lowered slightly as his nodded an affirmative.  
Link's voice did shake on the next question,  
"Was it... the other Link?"  
The hero waited anxiously for a response, but received only silence. Somehow Link knew that he was not about to get an answer from the other man.  
It was almost funny how despite their closeness in distance, Link had never felt further away from the beautiful teen then he did right now.

"Well, did you show him your face or not? The two of you were lovers right?"  
Sheik abruptly stood up, glaring at the hero,  
"I don't see how that is any of your business hero. My clothes should be dry by now so we should head back."  
"What do you mean it's none of my business?" Link exclaimed, also standing and trying to focus on arguing rather than watching as Sheik hastily pulled his exoskeleton on under his cloak (which was a surprisingly difficult task),  
"Of course it's my business! I think I have a right to know if we were shacking up in a previous life!"

"We werenot '_shacking up_' as you so delicately put it!" the Sheikah snarled, eyes flaming with a feral intensity, "And we were NOT lovers!"

Link's eyes narrowed.  
For some reason his heart gave a twinge when the younger warrior said that, almost as if it were himself being talked about rather than his past life.  
But more than that, a voice seemed to echo in his head that seemed both like and unlike his own,

_Liar...!_

"If you weren't lovers then why won't you answer my question? You're clearly lying to me, Sheik!"  
"I don't need to answer to you! And I'm not lying, we were friends. That's all there is to it!"

Another twinge.  
_You're lying...!_

"That's a load of shit and you know it! Tell me what happened between you two already!"  
"We grew up together. We were friends. We weren't lovers!"

Another twinge.  
Jealousy mixed with... betrayal...?  
_Why are you lying...?_

"Well you said that you showed your face to _someone_, and it's pretty common knowledge that you were in love with the hero of time so it's not exactly hard to piece together!"  
"This is ridiculous! As usual you've put two and two together and came up with five – jeez, you're so stupid!"

Another twinge.  
Jealousy mixed with betrayal mixed with hurt.  
_Why would you lie about us...?_

"You're avoiding the question, just answer it and -"  
"Fine!"

Link blinked in surprise. Sheik's voice was trembling so much that if he couldn't see his face he would guess that he was sobbing, but his face was blank and his eyes were like chips of bloody ice.  
"You want to know so badly I'll tell you and you can have a good old laugh about it!"  
The hero's gaze softened, knowing that no matter what he would never laugh at something that upset the blond teen so much.

"I loved him alright!" Sheik drew the cloak closer around himself, feeling all to vulnerable and exposed, "I'd loved him since we were kids... he'd tell me stories of the alternate world where we travelled across Hyrule together and I taught him songs to aid his quest, I would listen in awe to everything he said and hero worshiped him. When we got older it turned from affection to love.  
I thought that he felt the same way as I did. So one day I confessed to him and showed him my face.  
Happy?"

Link didn't say anything at first, lost in the peculiar emotions inside of him – both the ones he knew he would feel upon hearing such a story, and the foreign feelings of nostalgia that felt somehow separate from the others.  
"What happened then...?" He asked, although something inside him seemed to already know in a very non-descript way – like the details were fogged over in his mind just out of reach but the general picture was there.

Sheik turned away from the Ordonian, unaware of the conflict inside of him,  
"He disappeared."

Link inhaled sharply,  
"When you say 'disappeared' do you mean..."  
"He said that he needed time to think and left. No one ever saw or heard from him again that I know of – I died four months later."  
"Oh, Sheik... I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have pressed you about it..."  
"No. You shouldn't have."  
Guilt threatened to swallow the young hero whole – had he known something like that had happened then he never would have pressed the issue. However a dark jealous part of him was glad that nothing came of Sheik's relationship with his past self and growled with approval deep inside – but was this dark emotion his own or the invasive voice that was creeping into his head? Link wasn't sure if he could completely tell anymore.  
The Sheikah still had his back to the Green-clad warrior, but he suddenly seemed even smaller the normal and somehow fragile despite his fighting prowess. As if all of his strength has fled from that petite, delicate body and left him as just a lonely young boy.

"Do you know why he left? It wouldn't have been on purpose."  
Sheik snorted in miserable humour,  
"Isn't obvious? I freaked him out so badly that he'd have rather dropped off of the face of the earth then see me again."

_I didn't want to leave you...!_ The voice was back again, and louder than ever.

"I loved him more than anything and I meant nothing to him."

_I didn't want to leave you...!_

"He took one look at my face and ran a mile."

_I didn't want to leave you...!_

"He hated the idea of being with me so much that he-"

"I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU!"

Sheik spun around in shock and stared at an equally surprised Ordonian. For a moment, just the briefest of moments, it had been Link staring back at the Sheikah in place of the Hero – even the hair and eyes seemed lighter and the voice held that familiar quality.  
But just as quickly Link was gone and Hero was back, inwardly terrified at the voice that came from his body that was not his own.

For a few moments neither of them spoke but just stared dumbly at each other, both to disbelieving to verify what just happen with each other.  
Link no longer felt that voice inside his head or those foreign emotions in his heart, instead he was hit with an empty, isolating feeling – as though some dormant parasite inside of him had awoken and receded again, leaving its host all to conscious of its existence but not knowing when it would surface again.  
It was unnerving to say the least.  
He was unhappy to notice that the dark jealousy had remained and was indeed his own perverse thought; and right now he needed to get away and think about what had just happened.

"Sheik will you go on ahead to meet Zelda? There's something I need to do."

The Sheikah reluctantly nodded his head, recognising his own need to be alone but wanting to question the Hero on what had just happened simultaneously.  
Sheik picked up his lantern and, with a final questioning look towards the Green-clad warrior, left down the path towards Renado's home.

...

Galk was still knelt beside his wife and daughter's graves three hours after he had arrived at Kakariko Graveyard.  
He was truly thankful towards Dennik for allowing them to be buried here, a place where only the most honoured of citizens were laid to rest. Most of the common folk nowadays were burned on a small funeral pyre; to be buried in Din's arms was a mighty gift indeed.  
However no grand gesture would ever quench the vengeance that now burned in the soldier's every breath and movement.  
The peace loving Galk had died alongside Elmya and Elysse.

The former guard reached inside his chainmail shirt and pulled out a sepia photograph of the three of them that Elmya had saved up for months to get taken. The Galk in the picture had one arm wrapped around his beaming wife, who leant back into his barrel-chest whilst a four year old Elysse played with a toy horse on their laps; her face the epitome of childish delight.  
Galk had gone back to their home before departing in order to collect any items he might need when he had found it on the kitchen table in its frame.

But the photograph had not been all he had found when he had arrived home.

Every available surface was stained with blood, although the corpses had been removed. It was a horrific sight.  
Knowing that the dried crimson stains belonged to his beloved wife and child.  
Knowing that neither of their deaths had been quick or painless.  
Knowing that had he been there he could have spared them such an end.  
Knowing that he had failed as a husband and father.  
It had been his duty as a man hadn't it? To protect, support, and love his wife. To protect, support, and love his daughter.  
They had been slaughtered in their own home – in what should have been their sanctuary.

He could almost imagine how it happened:  
Elmya would have died first, shielding little Elysse with her own body as she was ripped to shreds.  
Perhaps Elmya had told their daughter to run away but she had only been five and would have stuck near her mama for safety, she was only a baby after all.  
She couldn't have understood.  
She would be sobbing and wailing her little heart out.  
Knowing that her mama was in pain.  
Crying for her daddy to save her.  
Screeching for her daddy to help her mama, who would have been ripped into pieces by this point – partially devoured by wild animals.  
Then the monsters would have turned on her.  
Snapped her up in their jaws and shook her like a rag doll, ripping flesh until her cries fell silent before feasting on her carcass.  
Had there even been enough for them to bury by the end of it?

This was all he saw.  
This was all he heard.

But... Hadn't Dennik told him that they had been attacked when they went out looking for him? If they hadn't been at home then why was there all that blood...?  
Galk shook the thought from his head.  
He had probably just heard the dark haired ruler wrongly. Or perhaps they had fled back to the house during the attack.

Either way, it didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered apart from bringing that bastard Zelda to justice.

It was getting too dark to see the photograph in from of his face, and it was beginning to look like the onset of a vicious storm so Galk tucked the picture away again with a heavy heart.  
He didn't want to move from this place. He wanted to curl up right here and die alongside his beloved family. He knew that to quit now would make their deaths meaningless but even so, the soldier felt that if he left now he would most likely never return.

Zelda was her cohorts were ruthless and experienced murderers who would not bat an eyelid at killing him. This was not a matter of killing them all, this was a matter of taking out those at the top of this corruption. Take the head and the body will follow. Take out Zelda and the followers will be helpless.  
It was not a mission of success; it was a mission of hope which he knew he would not survive.

He would most likely never come here again.

"Excuse me sir," A tentative voice said from behind him, "I thought you might be cold so I brought you a blanket and a light."  
Galk turned around, surprised that he hadn't noticed someone sneak up on him and found himself faced with a young girl of about fourteen years with dark hair fashioned into a sensible bob and heavy-lidded eyes.  
The guard grunted his thanks but did not make a move to take either the lantern or blanket from her, just returned to staring at the graves solemnly. The girl looked at him quizzically, set the light down in front of him and draped the warm cloth over his shoulders.  
"I'm Luda, the Shamans daughter. I saw you come in here a while ago but I didn't see you leave; I thought you might get ill if I left you to it any longer, and my fathers had a particularly troublesome patient lately!"  
Luda giggled at this, like it was an inside joke one would only get if they had met this 'troublesome patient' for themselves and settled herself down next to him,  
"So what's your name, sir?"

"Galk." He muttered without looking at her, "Normally people are quiet in a graveyard."  
He wanted to be left alone but not to the extent where he would deliberately upset a young girl.  
"I helped bury most of these graves, so I think they'll forgive me for talking in their presence." The dark-haired girl smiled wryly,  
"I'm guessing you're here for these two graves then, who were they?"  
The guard frowned,  
"My wife and child."  
Luda nodded her comprehension and bowed her head in respect,  
"I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure they're happy you visited though," Luda smiled broadly at the stoic man, "Next time you should bring them flowers though, I bet they'd like that!"

"Impossible," Galk grunted softly, "I don't intend to come back."

The shamans daughter's smile faded as she looked at the broad man in confusion,  
"Why not? Isn't that why people have graves in the first place – so they can be visited?"  
"I'm going to avenge them," the soldier replied, face set in grim acceptance, "I'll kill the one who killed them, even though it will cost my own life."  
"But that won't make anything better," Luda said sadly, "it won't make the pain hurt less, it won't bring them back, and I doubt the dead would worry themselves over such a thing. Is avenging the dead so important that it's worth more than your life?"

Galk turned his head to look at the young girl,  
"Of course. If their killer can't be brought to justice then what's the reason for their deaths? A child wouldn't understand such matters..."  
"I'm old enough to know that you're just taking out your anger at yourself on other people!" Luda frowned at the soldier who was coldly glaring back at her, "If everyone went around killing killers then there'd be no one left! I'd have been killed when I was just a baby!"  
Galk furrowed his eyebrows at the heavy-lidded girl who was looking over at a large gravestone in the centre of the graveyard,  
"My mother died giving birth to me, If I hadn't been born then she wouldn't have died. Does that make me a killer too?"  
Galk snorted and looked back at the graves of his family, obviously this girl was no murderer – and even if she was, she was incomparable to Zelda's evil. Someone had to stop the former princess, and it may as well be someone like him with nothing to lose.

Luda sighed, knowing that her point had not been made and that he probably would never accept her point of view. While she knew that she was young and had not seen much of the world, she had been around sick and dying people her whole life; if there was something she knew better than most it was the value of life.  
_Still,_ _something dreadful must have happened to them to have set Galk on such a destructive path. After all, _The dark haired girl mused to herself as she watched the mourning guard,_ it isn't everyday we're ordered to bury a coffin with nothing in it._

...

Link wandered slowly back to Renado's house as the thick thunder clouds above him began to crackle ferociously. It had started pouring down with rain shortly after he and Sheik had parted ways and it showed no signs of letting up any time soon.  
Oddly enough, the weather seemed to be reflecting his mood right now...

What in the name of Farore had happened earlier?  
He'd been arguing with Sheik and all of a sudden there were words tumbling out of his mouth that were not his own – and he hadn't just imagined it either, Sheik's reaction was proof enough.  
Link scrunched his eyes up in frustration. What on earth must Sheik think of him!  
The Ordonian wanted to talk to Zelda so badly right now; surely the princess would be able to put his mind at ease and explain it all to him.

"Have you made your decision yet?"

Link groaned internally. The last thing he needed right now was the creatures thinly veiled threats,  
"My answer isn't going to change Shade, and I won't just stand by and let you hurt Sheik or Zelda." The hero called out, scanning the area for the glimmer of malicious red eyes,  
"I want you to leave them both alone!"  
"Oh really? Now why would I do that?" the creature mocked, his baritone voice whimsical and menacing all at once.  
Link drew his sword and pointed it directly at his doppelganger, built up frustration and anger threatening to explode,  
"Because if you don't," the Ordonian declared, 'I'll make you wish you'd never been incarnated!"

Link hadn't honestly thought that Shade would be intimidated by him, and he was proved right by the creature's low chuckle. Red eyes closed in mirth, making him momentarily invisible.  
When he next spoke each word was penetrated by that familiar dark laughter,  
"So the brave hero decides defend his loves' honour! But did you ever consider that he doesn't need saving? In fact the one who needs saving right now..."  
Red eyes narrowed in the dark; Shade wasn't laughing anymore,  
"...Is you!"

Link heard the sound of a sword unsheathing and assumed a fighting stance in preparation of an assault, lowering his centre of gravity. Somehow the hero was relieved to have a fight on his hands; something real and tangible to grapple with rather than a voice in his head.  
The sound of a sword whipping through the air was almost muffled by the rain, yet somehow Link managed to jump to the side as the heavy metal blade embedded itself in the mud exactly where he had been stood a moment ago.

"You've been getting awfully cosy with my pet lately, too close. So I want you to know that whatever happens next, you've brought it upon yourself...!"

The blond hero ducked a swing aimed at his head before performing a spin attack which Shade leapt away from into the darkness. Suddenly fighting in the dark didn't seem like such a good idea.  
Link was literally fighting blind, relying on instinct more than skill to fight this invisible opponent. Sounds that would have ordinarily assisted him were being drowned out by the sounds of the storm and the only visibility was coming from the occasional bolt of lightning and flash of reflective metal.  
The creature however seemed to have no trouble finding the hero.  
It wouldn't surprise him if that bastard Shade had perfect night vision as well as the ability to climb down wells in distinctly creepy ways...

Link steadied his grip and slowly sidestepped around, eyes watchful for the slightest gleam of steel.  
A flash of lightning!  
Quickly, Link charged towards his left where the creature had been preparing to attack and swung his sword in an arc.  
Shade met his swing with his own weapon, the aggressive clang resonating around the village before they both pulled away. Not wanting to lose his chance for a counter attack, the hero lunged towards the angry red eyes in the gloom with his shield in the hopes of catching his opponent off guard.  
However, his shield met nothing but air.  
On guard once more, Link instinctively swung his body around to face his rear and raised his sword – barely catching the creatures attack before it connected with his still injured shoulder.

Another flash of lightning illuminated the two doppelgangers, each concentrating fully on how best to defeat the other.  
The Ordonian knew that he was at a disadvantage sword fighting in the dark with nothing but his intuition, but how could he level the playing field? The darkness was Shade's realm, his natural environment so to speak – so how could he defeat him without two of his most important senses?  
If he couldn't see or hear the creature then he had only one true option: touch.  
Hand to hand combat.  
He had to get Shade away from his sword!

Link, having once again lost sight of Shade, looked around frantically for a glimpse of red eyes.  
Damn it! When would the next bolt of lightning strike?  
The splash of a hurried footstep to his left made Link thrust his shield in that direction, luckily connecting with Shade's chest.  
A harsh thudding noise and a gasp of pain was all the indication Link needed to tackle the stunned creature to the floor, hands groping for his opponents sword.  
Finding his target, the Hero wrenched the weapon away from Shades hand and flung it hard to the side and out of reach.

Shade hissed in anger and flung a gauntleted fist into Links jaw, struggling desperately to change their positions and pin the hero down. Link however, was having none of it, delivering a swift punch to the creatures gut and flipping him so that his cheek was pressed into the mud with one hand on the small of his back and the other pinning his shoulders.

The Ordonian breathed heavily, Shade was certainly a worthy opponent – but he had emerged victorious from this particular fight,  
"Now... you have to leave... Sheik alone...!" Link panted, tired but satisfied.  
"I don't recall... making such a deal..." The creature huffed, crimson orbs narrowed in fury, "The battle... is won but not... the war..."  
"Give it up!" Link growled, "He doesn't love you and he never will!"

Instead of the scathing response that he had expected, Link received a dark chuckle which quickly erupted into hysterical laughter,  
"Love? You're idea of 'love' is for idealistic fools, all I need is complete and utter possession!"  
The creature grinned widely,  
"I'll keep him with me and only me forever, he'll soon come to realise that I'm the only thing he needs in his life and abandon all notions of 'independence' and 'choice'; Until my pet's only pleasure is being by my side for eternity. That is true love."

Link angrily forced Shades face deeper into the mud,  
"That's sick! You'll keep him locked away until he becomes a hollow puppet? How can you call something like that love?"  
"You know, when you're like this I can almost believe you have emotions of your own! I saw what happened earlier between you and my pet – Your little outburst."

Link paused and let Shade up slightly, suspicious of his words – _emotions of my own? Of course I have emotions of my own!  
_"Tell me! What happened to me?"  
Shade chuckled louder,  
"I had planned to break the news to you later, but if you want to know so badly... your little lovers tiff caused something inside of you to wake up; you must have felt him awaken inside your head."  
The hero felt himself quiver anxiously, anticipating an answer as to what had happened earlier at the spirits spring.  
"I'll tell you everything as a reward for beating me _if_ you let me up."

Link obeyed and stood up, preparing to listen to his doppelgangers explanation when he felt the cold tip of a sword touch his throat.  
At first the Ordonian thought that Shade had somehow gotten his sword back, but a quick glance through the dark revealed the creature still sat on the ground.  
In a gruff voice the third person said,  
"Turn around and put your hands in the air."  
Link obeyed and squinted at the figure before him. He looked vaguely familiar with short brown hair and a broad, muscled physique... the hero tried to remember where he had seen this man before...  
And then it clicked into place.  
This was the man he had arrested for trying to assault Sheik back at the castle!

The former guard also seemed to recognise Link too if his stony glare was anything to go by,  
"You're Link, Zelda's right hand man," Galk stated, remembering what Dennik had told him before his departure. This man was one of Zelda's most loyal and depraved followers.  
Galk knew that he could not him get away unscathed – he was the man who had originally brought him in after all!  
The guard pressed his blade more forcefully against the Ordonians throat, slick from rain and perspiration,  
"You will take me to your princess or you will lose your head...!"

...

A/N: Whooooa! The longest chapter I have ever written I think! I rushed it towards the end in a last ditch effort to get it out as soon as possible so please forgive me if it's turned out bad! Also I've absolutely packed this with information – probably a bit too much information, but I really enjoyed writing this, especially the Telma back story. I kind of want to write a prequel to this one day based around Telma and Renado. What do you guys think? A lot of the things in this chapter emerged as I wrote them, like the whole 'voice in the head' thingy – I wasn't planning on that but it looks as though it's going to be a major thing. And as usual Shade's holding all the cards, knowing what's going on with Link and being to threaten them all – they can't really get rid of him because they'd be lost without his guidance. I need to keep reminding myself what their actual quest is so I can keep things moving. Maybe this is a sign that I need to stop adding little plot points and get on with the actual quest to get rid of the Nosferatu... Oh, and I love Galk after writing this! XD


	10. Chapter 10: Separation

**Origins: Chapter 10**

Summary: when an army of resurrected assassins threaten Hyrule, Link and Zelda decide to resurrect an ally of their own: the last Sheikah who died centuries beforehand. What our hero didn't bargain for was falling in love with said deceased Sheikah – or having to compete for his affections against his shadow. Set in 'twilight princess' with reference to 'ocarina of time'. Male Sheik. Shink.

A/N: Well, as I am currently jobless, out of education, living on the fringe of life, and have no real prospects I thought it was the perfect time to finally get back into writing! I am really sorry to everyone who has been waiting and sending me reviews even after all this time, I'll try not to disappoint you with this chapter since you've been so patient with me. Also MEGA-UTRA-THANKS to xsheikahxtaintx on DeviantArt for my first ever piece of fan art! I'll put the link onto my profile, I have so much love for you that I may just elope with you

WARNINGS: violence, creature, some foul language

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY AFFILIATED PRODUCTS. ANY SIMILARITY TO REAL PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

...

Each and every cowering servant leapt out of the Dennik's path as though electrocuted whenever he passed – for they knew better than anyone not to aggravate their ruler when he was in such a mood.  
On occasion such as this a few days ago an elderly cook had turned a corner and bumped directly into the dark haired steward, dropping her laden tray of refreshments. She was currently in the infirmary being treated for a cracked skull and fractured ribs from her untimely fall down the stairs. And before that, two guards had been caught speaking favourably of the monarchy and princess Zelda – even now one was waiting to be hanged for the murder of this comrade, sobbing his plea of 'not guilty' to the ignorant ears of the dungeon inhabitants.

The consensus was that it was understandable that the old dear would have a few falls at her age; and the death of the conspiring soldiers was suspect, but nevertheless coincidental.  
There were, however, some castle staff who swore to anyone who would listen that the 'untimely fall' was not as accidental as it seemed; and that the soldier convicted of murder was no more a felon than anyone else.  
The involvement of lord Dennik in all of this was of course simple speculation and rumour. No one remained who would dare seek to find a motive or connection behind these 'unfortunate incidents'; not even one so petty as a dropped tray of food or an overheard conversation.  
Yes, things had indeed changed since Dennik had usurped the throne – even though barely any time had passed his ascension.

The palace messenger swallowed thickly, all too aware of the gossip circulating about the man whose chamber he was stood outside of; he was so aware of it in fact, that the scroll in his hands was darkening with nervous sweat. The Lord Dennik had demanded to have this message delivered directly to him as soon as it arrived, yet the messenger had been too shaken to deliver it as of yet. Should his master find out then the other servants would have yet another 'mysterious accident' to speculate over, he was sure!

"How long were you planning to stand out here before knocking exactly?"  
The servants' heart just about stopped. He knew that voice.  
"My Lord Dennik, sir! I-I was just… a letter arrived for you Sir! I knocked but you weren't in so I-"  
"Dishonesty is not a quality I value in my subjects." The Usurper interrupted his features stoically cold and holding out an expectant hand. The messenger obliged his master by pressing the scroll into the awaiting hand, his trembling fingers catching slightly on the tie that held the document shut.  
For a moment the messenger wondered what was written inside.  
Seemingly satisfied at the other mans subservience, Dennik dismissed the messenger and slid open the door to his chamber. His cloak seemed almost to dissolve like finely woven smoke into the shadows within that room; the room that had once belonged to the former King of Hyrule Himself.

The messenger breathed a sigh of relief as he scurried away from the scene. There was something about that man that didn't feel right, as if the man repelled everything good and light and… natural even!  
He shivered slightly, still feeling the echo of the other mans gaze upon his crawling skin.

...

In his first life, Sheik would not even hesitate to confide in his Princess about anything – she was his master, his bond mate, and his best friend. Nothing felt more reassuring in those young days than sitting beside Zelda and letting her soothe his worries; the feeling was still there with her reincarnation to an extent.  
The former monarch still inspired in Sheik the calm reassurance that his currently disturbed mood needed, but the niggling knowledge that this woman was not his Zelda unsettled him. It unsettled him to the point that sharing that experience with the Princess would feel like a betrayal to Zelda; as if it made her replicable and dulled her value to him. Never mind that the Goddesses themselves were clearly fine with replacing both the legendary hero and the princess of destiny.  
The thought grasped Sheiks heart as he turned to this familiar stranger and answered her concerns with a blunt claim that he was perfectly fine. Zelda did not look as though she believed him, but did not press the issue.

The voyage from the spring back to the hotel, although short, was fraught with disturbance.

For that instance he had seen Link. Not Hero, he was certain of that despite their similarities. Link. _His_ Link. It was no illusion… his Sheikah abilities made certain of that.  
Wishful thinking?  
Hero had appeared just as startled as Sheik himself, it seemed real. Impossibly so. Then again, Sheik admitted to himself, who was he to claim what was and wasn't possible? It had not been long ago that the teen had found himself resurrected centuries into the future by the reincarnations of his closest friends!

_The boundaries of feasibility seem somewhat irrelevant in this era! _

Sheiks gaze drifted to the Princess, who was still carefully watching him with familiar blue eyes. She knew something was wrong, could sense it in the air almost as easily as if it were physical. Sheik pushed the bizarre thoughts from his mind, not wanting to concern the older woman; At least not until he had an idea of what exactly had happened.  
The whole occurrence felt too raw and private to share right now anyway.  
The wound still open and bloody.  
Zelda disrupted him from his thoughts by placing a glass of ice cold water on the table in front of him, seating herself opposite the Sheikah. She was frowning again, an action that was becoming too common lately,  
"Where could Link have gotten to? Should we go and search for him?" Sheik shook his head dismissively, recalling Hero's shocked face the last time he had seen him,  
"He might be gone for a while, he wanted some to think."  
The Sheikah sipped at his drink, the Princess's furrowed brow deepened,  
"Shade is missing too…"  
Sheik grunted irritably. The Creature was the last thing he wanted to think about right now. Zelda sighed and rested her head in her dainty hands,  
"I was hoping that we could all talk before we went to bed, but since we don't know when they will get back…" she stifled a yawn, "anyway, I do not think it wise to delay our journey for much longer. Renado has kindly restocked our supplies and Link's injury is healing well, but we cannot afford to remain any longer than one more day."

She traced her fingers across the frosted glass, drawing patterns in the haze: little triangles and a cluster, all joined at their angles.  
"Telma has informed me," Zelda continued, "that since Lord Dennik gained control over Hyrule there has been a dramatic increase in the number of mysterious deaths, most likely at the hands of the Nosferatu. I simply cannot view this as a coincidence! Whether Dennik has had a hand in these deaths or not, innocent lives will certainly be lost should we lose sight of our goal."  
Sheik felt his gut twist guiltily. He had almost forgotten about the Nosferatu in lieu of recent events; but the Princess was correct. They could not delay. Although Sheik worried about what the stress of travelling would do to Hero's wounds. He had healed well so far, but that did not mean that he was out of danger. His combat skills would be impaired for at least a few more days, and riding could slow the healing process.

Rest was integral, but delay could prove far more deadly.

"Once we get to Lake Hylia, we will be able to rest in the Lanryu spirits spring and meet with a member of the resistance. We may be forced to make a detour in Ordon through the Faron province depending on how Link fares, bit our primary goal is to reach the lake as soon as we can."  
Sheik nodded and absorbed the information despite not recognising some names of places. He decided that he would have to pick up a map should the opportunity present itself. Faron and Ordon were not familiar at all, but Lake Hylia was defiantly memorable. He briefly wondered how much it had changed over the years.

Zelda surrendered to a full bodied yawn and slumped backwards in her chair. Weariness overpowering decorum.  
"Princess," Sheik said, rising to his feet, "you should get some rest. I'll pass your message along to Hero when he returns." She smiled gratefully up at him and stood.  
She managed to hide the slight shake in her knees.  
She had not been taking care of herself properly, she knew.  
_Perhaps, _she decided, _I should get at least one more restful night before we leave again._  
Sheik chose not to watch her leave, but refilled his glass; the cold liquid keeping his brain alert.

Fifteen minutes loitered away, making it seem like hours had passed to the fatigued Sheikah.

Then thirty minutes…

Then fifty…

An hour…

Where was Hero? Had something happened?

As eager as the teen was to get some rest, he defiantly did not want to go chasing after the Ordonian; afraid of who would be looking back at him through those blue eyes.  
Even more afraid that there would be no one looking back at all.  
Sheik groaned in frustration and let his head bang gently on the table. How frustrating! He had never been this confused and conflicted before – not even when he had begun to fall for Link all those years ago. Centuries ago. Link was long dead, he knew it painfully well, and maybe it was time to move on. Hero was not Link and never would be, he knew he should start treating hero better and stop resenting him for it. Stop flying into a rage around him and control his temper. He knew all this, but damn it hurt so badly to admit it!  
Grudgingly the Sheikah got to his feet. Perhaps he could begin correcting his behaviour towards his comrade by talking to him. After all, they had a conversation earlier – albeit a tense conversation. He determinedly opened the hotel door only to walk directly into a soaking wet Shade.

"Well well," The creature smirked, red eyes glinting, "I knew you'd come around love!"  
"In your dreams."  
"Oh most defiantly. Dreaming is certainly one of the pleasures of mortality; although this," He trailed a languid arm down the Sheikah's spine, "Is more pleasurable by far!"

Sheik huffed angrily and pushed the offending hand away, too tired to fight back. Shade raised a pale eyebrow in surprise,  
"Not that I dislike the submission pet, but shouldn't I have a black eye by now."  
"…Masochist. I'm not in the mood."  
"Oh but I am!"  
The blond sent him a harsh glare, his body preparing for moving away in an instant. He certainly had not forgotten what this _thing_ was capable of, or that he had to be constantly on his guard around him. He certainly did not like that glint in the doppelganger's eyes.

"Anyway, I would have thought that you'd be rushing to your…" He hissed the next word in revulsion, "lovers' rescue by now."  
Sheik snapped to attention, ignoring Shade's growing smirk. Had something happened to Hero? His stomach churned uncomfortably,  
"What happened?" Shade shrugged and leaned against the door frame,  
"Who knows! Some guy showed up and started attacking us." He scratched his chin thoughtfully, "I think he was looking for the Princess come to think of it…" Sheik had heard all he needed to, leaping over the banister and rocketing up the stairs to Zelda's room.  
"Princess, wake up!"

The blond woman pushed her head deeper into her pillow and groaned, too tired to acknowledge the urgency in the Sheikah's voice. Quickly he jostled her and turned to Renado who had just entered the room in his long nightshirt,  
"Renado, Hero is currently fighting off an attacker who seems to be after the Princess," Sheik drew his weapon and gave it a few practise swings, "it's possible that this man has not come alone – in which case you should take Luda and Telma and head up the mountain until its safe." The warrior glanced around at Zelda, who had awakened and was already packing any loose items into a saddlebag. The time to flee had arrived sooner than planned. He felt his gaze soften momentarily before reverting into combat mode.  
The Princess could handle things from here whilst he, Sheik, assisted Hero.

...

Steel screeched against steel as Link and Galks' blades swerved away from each other. Two pairs of feet mashed dully against the muddy ground, slipping backwards slightly upon contact. The older man furiously smashed their weapons together in a manner so reckless that it caught Link off guard.

He did not know what this man wanted with Zelda, but he was clearly prepared to cut Link down to reach her.

Galk swing his blade horizontally towards Links throat, an action that was only dodged due to the Ordonian losing his footing on the slick ground. The Guard quickly chased the hero down with his sword, Link rolled deftly to the side forcing the weapon to cleave a thick line into the mud. Link regained his footing and quickly swung his sword in a high arch. Their blades met with a terrified metallic scream before they separated once again, the impact still ringing in their wielders wrists.

Link gasped in pain, his wounds had eased themselves open again. But there was no time to heal. Think fast! Act fast! Swing, parry, jab, repeat! Galk lifted his sword over his shoulder and, using both of his hands for the additional power, slammed it into Link's shield.  
Link skidded backwards and quickly attacked Galk's outstretched arms. The guard withdrew in time to avoid it, catching the attack on the flat of his blade instead. Their swords danced in an arch momentarily as their wielders studied each other through the dark.  
The adrenaline pulsed through Links aching body, as he cursed his aching muscles. His shoulders were on fire, his knees to worn to bear his own weight. How long had they been fighting? It felt like an age! Not to mention that before this strange man had arrived he had battled Shade. Despite his stamina and skill, he knew that he was in no condition to fight for much longer…

Suddenly, three gleaming throwing needles buried themselves deep into Galks throat, causing him to start choking on his own blood.  
_Sheik_  
Link smiled in relief. This fight was as good as over now that he had back up.  
The wounded guard clasped his neck and peered into the direction that the needles had come from. When the darkness did not reveal the Sheikah's location, Galk turned back to Link – blood puttering slowly from his mouth and throat. The hero steadied himself once again. It was still too soon to celebrate; throwing needles were not designed to kill after all. They only stunned and distracted, the wounds could be healed with a dose of potion.

The broader man coughed wetly, the soft gurgle of blood resounding in the back of his mouth,  
"I wanted to… do this by myself but…" He coughed again and spat a thick wad of crimson into the mud, "I have… no choice!"  
Sheik emerged from the night and stood a short distance behind the guard, silent as a beast stalking its prey. Link made sure to draw no attention to his companion, focusing on the man in front of them who ripped out one of the needles from his throat with an agonised grunt.

Sheik readied his short sword, his fingers curling around the hilt in preparation.  
Galk used the tip of the needle to rip into the calloused skin of his thumb.  
Sheik began to move closer to the older man, remaining as quiet as possible.  
Galk exhaled. Lifted his bleeding thumb to his face and smeared it across his forehead in the shape of a triangle.  
Sheik broke into a run.  
Galk closed his eyes, deep in concentration. The bloodied shape on his skin began to ooze towards the centre of the triangle. Moving with a purpose until all the droplets congealed in one place.  
Sheik leapt into the air, covering as much distance as he could. Weapon raised and ravenous.  
The shape began to glow dimly in the night.  
Sheik plunged his short sword downwards, inches from making contact with its target.

All of a sudden Sheik was repelled violently backwards, crashing into the side of a building. Link let out a shout of alarm and, forgetting all about the battle, rushed to the teen's side. The Sheikah grunted slightly at the pain in his back, before realising that his weapon was gone.  
What had just happened?  
Link quickly knelt down beside him, asking him questions in a worried tone. Sheik ignored him in favour of observing the enemy, who was now surrounded by at least twenty other men.

Red eyes narrowed in recognition. Although he had never seen these particular men before, there was something familiar about them…  
grey skin…  
claw-like fingers…  
long bestial fangs…

He looked down at his clothes. They were covered in thick, grey cinders; like ash or cremated remains.  
One of the men – or _creatures_ – held his short sword in its hand. It gnashed its teeth together in a vicious snarl. They overlapped in its mouth oddly and were yellow with age. This was too familiar.

Link helped Sheik to his feet as the sheikah pulled out a concealed knife from his sleeve.  
"I recognise them." The Ordonian muttered grimly to the younger man, "Me and Zelda were attacked by one back in Castle town." Sheik nodded,  
"I remember them too."  
They had been there. In the blinding white of the Sueran mountains. He could feel it. The thick ash coating the snow as he crawled fatally wounded towards the body of his princess. The scars on his leg, caused by what looked like wild animals… those teeth could certainly do that kind of damage.

Galk seemed to have vanished from amidst his entourage faster than Sheik's eyes could see. This, the Sheikah reassured himself, was due to the fact that he had been blown backwards unexpectedly and not due to the failing of his eyes.  
_If I only had my magic,_ Sheik cursed internally, _I could finish this. But as it is…  
_He assessed the Ordonian's condition. He looked exhausted. There were no fresh wounds; however it would not do for him to overexert himself – although it seemed that he already had in his solo battle. There were too many of these beings to defeat in close combat, and more injuries would be a certainty should they attempt it.

Sheik glanced around. There was no sign of the Princess or even of Shade. Had the Guard gone after them and left his minions to distract them? His grip on the knife tightened. It was a definite possibility.

"Hero," the teen said, drawing Links attention which had been fixed on their enemy also, "I need you to get your horse. If the Princess's horse is there too then we will stay and fight. If not then we shall have to assume that she has proceeded to Lake Hylia; in which case we will have to put as much distance between these creatures and her as we can."  
Link nodded and ran to Sheiks left. The teen did not miss the look that the hero sent his way before leaving: a whirlpool of concern, understanding, determination, and a promise to stay safe. He couldn't help but feel his heart warm.

A few of the creatures – 'Nosferatu' he recalled, leapt after him in pursuit. Sheik leapt to meet them in battle, his knife slicing the fingers clean off of a particularly large opponent. The beast howled as its fingers exploded into ash when it hit the floor.

A second and third swiped at Sheik from behind, causing the flaxen haired teen to gracefully back flip over them and, upon landing, stab one of them in the neck. It dissolved in much the same manner at the severed fingers had.  
Its fellow lunged at the teen's leg, teeth bared and howling like a demon. Sheik slammed his hands into the mud and kicked out with both legs, his lithe body completely parallel to the ground before re-coiling and twisting upwards to uppercut another Nosferatu with his ankles. Neither of them had decomposed into ash, but were startled enough that they had backed up into the rest of their pack.  
The air glutted with their communal howls and as Sheik rushed into the fray, knife gliding through the corpse-like flesh; it to Sheik that the noise consumed him.

...

Link ran as fast as his aching legs would carry him. He had to get back to Sheik as soon as possible! He could hear the ferocious din of the battle behind him- it spurred him onwards, but it also reassured him that Sheik was still fighting. That he hadn't been beaten.  
Luckily the horses were not saddled too far from the battle, so Link quickly managed to sprint to his mare without becoming much more out of breath than he already was. A quick scan of the area told him that both Zelda's and Sheik's horses were absent, prompting him to mount Epona – or at least he would have if there was not a hastily scribbled note fixed to her reins.  
The Ordonian tugged the message free and read it quickly.

_Link and Sheik,  
I must make haste as I do not know how much time I have to write this. I have taken the lens of truth and I am continuing onwards to Lake Hylia where, Din willing, we will meet up once again. For whatever purpose Shade has insisted on accompanying me, do not worry, I shall be fine. Destroy this message once it has been read. We are being watched.  
Zelda_

Link crumpled the message in his hand angrily. Shade! What was his agenda? The only small mercy in this situation was that Zelda was away from the Nosferatu – although that was little consolation when she was alone with his malicious doppelganger, who was still using the princess as a bargaining piece for claiming Sheik…  
Deciding to deal with the immediate problem first, Link jumped aboard Epona and spurred her into a dash, burning the note on a torch as he passed.

_We are being watched._

Sheik looked as though he had been swallowed whole by the horde; he was barely visible through the churning flesh of the summoned Nosferatu. The only sign of the younger man was the occasional metallic flash or blonde blur.  
A pained howl and a puff of dust signalled that Sheik had dispatched another enemy; their numbers had been whittled down slightly, but the dent in their numbers was nowhere near significant enough to persuade the pair to remain and annihilate the rest.

Choking slightly on the ashy remains made airborne due to his horses' violent stampede, Link ploughed through the swarm, clasping onto Sheiks forearm and wrenched him onto Eponas' back.  
The Sheikah panted heavily behind him. Link could even feel the aggressive pounding of his juniors heart pressed up against his back. They did not need to look back to know that the Nosferatu were chasing them, their speed alarmingly fast. Even with the chestnut mare galloping at full speed their pursuers were able to dash alongside them on all fours as they reached Hyrule field.  
"Hero," Sheik gasped, "Lend me your bow and arrows, I'll pick them off whilst you try and put some distance between us!" Link tugged his bow off of his back, keeping one hand on their reins, and handed it the Sheikah. The flaxen-haired teen accepted it silently and strung it with an arrow.

He took aim at an advancing Nosferatu and fired, missing due to the uneven ground. Sheik tried again.  
Miss.  
Another.  
Miss.  
"Try to ride a bit steadier, I can't get a clear shot!"  
"Any slower and they'll catch us!" Link retorted in frustration as he leapt over a fence. This plan had seemed a lot better in theory than it was in practise, the additional burden caused by two riders was slowing Epona down, and the Nosferatu did not seem to be tiring. Sheik cursed out loud; this was not working! Something had to be done, and fast!

"I have an idea," the hero exclaimed suddenly, pulling Epona into a sharp turn. Their assailants barrelled past momentarily before once again giving chase.  
"Bombs!" Link cried happily, revelling in his moment of genius. Sheik kicked his leg harshly from behind, in no mood to suffer through Hero's idiocy right now.  
"That won't work. If we plant bombs then we will be just as likely to get blown up as the enemy!"  
" I'm not saying that we should just throw bombs and hope that they hit!" He huffed, too full of adrenaline to be any more than superficially offended, "attach the bombs to the arrows. That way even if you miss with the arrow, the bomb will cause them some damage!"  
Sheik thought for a moment before replying,  
"How many bombs do you have?"  
"Only six. I was going to restock at Barnes before we left." Sheik groaned but reached for them anyway. How typical that the one time they needed bombs, Hero was all but out of stock!_  
_"Hopefully there will be enough to either take out the majority of them, or frighten them away."

Sending out a quick prayer to the goddesses, the Sheikah attached a bomb to an arrow and took aim at a particularly bold specimen.  
The resulting explosion severed the beasts' legs in a cloud of ash and dislodged soil.  
It had worked!  
Its fellow Nosferatu growled in anger and powered onwards, attempting to leap at the saddled pair or bite at the horses hind legs. Epona whinnied in distress but continued bolting away. Link tried his best to soothe her, but the poor animal was having none of it; emitting horrific noises that sounded like a small child screaming.

Another two Nosferatu exploded behind them, both caught with a singular well aimed bomb. The other creatures began to slow, becoming more cautious about approaching the riders. Sheik took advantage of this and fired two more bomb arrows towards grouping sets of the creatures, taking out another three. Their numbers were really beginning to dwindle! Even if the warriors found themselves forced into a close range battle again, then the odds would be in their favour!  
The Sheikah fired once more at the most vicious looking one, successfully ripping its torso apart. Knowing that he only had one bomb left, the teen stayed his hand in case one got too close for comfort.  
Fortunately, it seemed as though the rapid defeat of so many of their numbers had been sufficient enough motivation for the hordes to give up their chase. Epona slowed to a halt as the Nosferatu melted into the light of a new dawn.

Link gave a sigh of relief and patted the horse reassuringly on her side. It was over, at least for now. He slid off of his mount with Sheik, giving the mare a well deserved break from her load. The two warriors looked at each other, exhaustion clouding their features. The past few hours had been a trial for them both, emotionally and physically, but it seemed that with the beckoning of a new day they had managed to persevere. Regardless of what they would have to deal with through the rest of their quest, it seemed for that moment that they could face it all and come through.  
Link smiled at Sheik, his recent feelings flooding through his veins once again.  
The slow walk back to Kakariko was made in complete silence as the sun rose over the horizon, bathing the two youths in its benevolent glow. Any anxiety between the two melted away for that isolated journey and, despite the prior violence and, for once, they were completely at peace in each other's company.

...

"And you're certain that's what she wrote? 'We are being watched'?"  
Link huffed and rested himself across Epona's strong back,  
"Of course I'm sure! I'm not an idiot."  
"Well that's arguable," the Sheikah quipped, leading the horse and rider across Hyrule field by the reins, "Although I can see the Princess's reasoning in this matter."

Link nodded his agreement, choosing to ignore the insult,  
"For that many enemies to be concentrated in the place where we were resting up is a bit suspicious."  
"It's not just that though," Sheik pondered, "If it was just this one incident then Zelda wouldn't be so ominous in her wording… 'We are being watched'… think about it. We no one knew that we were heading towards the hidden village, not even the members of the resistance – yet we were set upon by a large group of monsters."  
"True. The fields have been completely clear of danger over the past few years; or at least they had been until we set out." Link stretched his back and flexed his arms to rid them of any cramps, "If we're being watched then it's been since we first set out on this quest."

The Sheikah and the hero had left Kakariko not long after returning, pausing only to restock on bombs and to give Epona a rest in the Spirit's spring. Renado, Telma, and Luda had not returned from their hiding place up at Death Mountain; but a passing Goron assured the teens of their safety, and that they would descend soon if they were willing to wait.  
Waiting however was not truly possible. Their location had been compromised for one thing, and there was no way of knowing if and when the next attack would come. That was the reason they gave at any rate, but both Sheik and Link had an unspoken reason for such a speedy departure.

Shade.

Shade when under their surveillance was tricky enough – but both Sheik and Link knew that Shade left to his own devices could be very dangerous indeed. Both of the men felt the icy hand of fear grasping at them whenever they thought of Zelda being at the mercy of such an unpredictable and malicious being.  
So it was that the teens set off, Link atop Epona in the hope that it would help his wounds heal easier with Sheik walking alongside him. Despite the unity between the two in the aftermath of the battle, their relationship had once again returned to petty insults and jibes.  
It seemed ironic to Link that the only time they seemed to get along was when they had faced death. Surely being around Sheik was not worth the constant physical and mental battles! Yet somehow Link found that it was, and hid a smile whilst they threw around loose insults.

"Hero," Sheik nudged him, "there's a crossroads up ahead. Which path do we take?"  
"If we go left then we'll enter the Faron province, and beyond that is Ordon. The other road leads right to Lake Hylia."  
Sheik hummed in thought.  
"The Princess said to me that it might be wise to stop at Ordon. Perhaps she went there, in which case we might be able to intercept her and reunite sooner than we would otherwise." Link nodded,  
"A member of the resistance called Rusl lives in Ordon. Do you think that Zelda might have made contact with him?"  
In the end, the pair decided that it was worth a shot and made the left turn towards the place of Links birth.

Despite himself, Sheik was very curious about this Link's home.  
Did he have a family?  
A house?  
A life other than that of a great hero?

It seemed bizarre to think of the hero living the simple life of a country boy. He seemed much more suited to a lively life full of adventure and people.

Remembering his earlier vow to treat his fellow warrior better, Sheik grudgingly decided to engage him in conversation,  
"Tell me about Ordon. You grew up there right?"  
Link looked blankly at the Sheikah, not quite registering the sudden switch in his demeanour from mildly hostile to barely amenable,  
"What do you… why are you… what?"  
"I'm making conversation, genius." Link scowled,  
"I noticed. I just never had down as a very talkative person, oh mighty Sheikah!"  
"Well excuse me for being interested!"  
They fell back into silence as they passed by the Faron spring. It truly was a beautiful place; the clear rippling waters reflected beams of light that filtered through the foliage, illuminating the whole area in a mystical blush of daylight.  
In a deep corner of the spring several small fish danced around each other. There was a certain sense of timelessness about the place, Sheik thought - a feeling that this place had been untouched since the dawn of time.

"When I was young Rusl would bring me out here," Link mused aloud. Sheik did not reply, reluctant to disturb the melody of the world around them which melded with Hero's voice so perfectly. "Even back then I thought it was perfect. The Ordon spring was nice too, but everyone went there so I guess I took it for granted a little. But this place…"  
He closed his eyes and bathed in the light, lost in nostalgia,  
"It felt that it was here just for me. None of the villagers were interested in leaving Ordon, and the other kids were either too small to follow me or had other things to do. This was a place where I could get away from everything and just… exist."

Sheik smiled softly under his cowl, it seemed that even when the hero was young he was drawn away from his home and into a wider world. He amused himself by imaging a younger version of the Ordonian relaxing on the shore.  
"I never had a place like that," The Sheikah confessed, "My time was always too full to find a place where I could relax."  
"You must have done something, even you would go insane if all you did was work!"  
"You're right," The younger admitted, "If it weren't for two things I probably would have had a breakdown."  
Link waited patiently for Sheik to continue with his story, Epona whinnied and nudged the teen with her nose in a manner that seemed to indicate that he should carry on talking. The hero snorted in amusement,  
"So what were these two things?"  
"The first thing was music-" Link interrupted him with a short laugh,  
"You mean the glorified harp! I remember that!"  
"Firstly, it's a Lyre. And it was not that long ago that you first saw it."  
"I know, I know," The older man looked animatedly at his companion, "You still have it right? Can you play something for me?"

Sheik blushed momentarily, thanking the Goddesses that his face was obscured,  
"I'm afraid that I'm a little out of practise, Hero."  
"Well, get back into practise! It can't be that hard." This time it was Sheik's turn to laugh, although it sounded more condescending then amused,  
"I assure you that playing a musical instrument is not as easy as it appears."  
"I'll have you know that I'm very tuneful on a piece of Hawk Grass!" Sheik gave him a half-serious shove, not powerful enough to knock him off of Epona's back but enough so that he wobbled precariously atop the mare before regaining his balance. Link retaliated by nudging the Sheikah with his boot, enjoying the unusual playfulness between them. It seemed to Link that Sheik had lost some of his aggressive attitude since the previous night, for which he was thankful. Regardless of how much he cared for his junior he would not want to travel alone with someone who constantly snapped at him.

"You know," Link continued cheerfully, "I always wanted to take up an instrument."  
"Hmm… your head would make a decent enough drum…"  
"In all seriousness though," he remarked, "I'd like to try a something like a pipe, or a flute, or something like that!"  
_Something like an Ocarina?_  
Sheik let his head droop slightly. He had been doing so well in trying not to project Link onto Hero, but that last comment had just ruined it! Why did they have to be so similar! He was trying, he really was, to see them as separate people – but moments like these made it impossible to see Hero as anything other than a carbon copy of the man he had loved. The man he supposed he still loved and would always love. How could he move on from those feelings with Link's memory so close by?

Link seemed to notice the change in the atmosphere as he cleared his throat loudly and attempted to rekindle the conversation,  
"So the first thing was music, what was the second?"  
Sheik turned his shining crimson eyes to meet the Hero's own blue orbs, causing the Ordonian's heart to leap into his mouth,  
"It was friends."  
Sheiks face crinkled slightly into a smile, his glazed eyes looking beyond the hero in front of him and into a fondly remembered past – but to Link, it felt like that tender gaze was directed at him and him alone.

...

A/N: Okay, only a short chapter compared to my last one, but I feel it did the job of easing me back into it. I feel it jumped around too much in the beginning and that it became a little repetitive towards the end – feel free to tell me what you all thought! Everyone's split up! Sheik and Link (which in my opinion can only be a good think in a Shink fic), and Shade is with Zelda! What shall befall her? Will the group be safely reunited? Who or what is watching them? Will Sheik ever see Link and Zelda as their own people? WILL THERE EVER BE AND SEXY GOOD TIMES WITH LINK AND SHEIK? Yes. Yes there will. And hopefully it'll be very soon ;)


End file.
